


Arise the Red Queen

by keeperoforden



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst, Betrayal, Choking, Dark SuperCorp, Dark fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Kryptonite, Lena Luthor Gets a Hug, Metallo Lena Luthor, Metallo!Lena, Myxzpltk, Power Dynamics, Red Kryptonite, Red Kryptonite Kara Danvers, Slow Burn Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, SuperCorp, Supergirl 5x13, Tags Are Hard, Torture, not as dark as you expect, supergirl 100th episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:14:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperoforden/pseuds/keeperoforden
Summary: 5x13 divergence.What if when Mxyzpltk put his hand into the hat only he was able to escape the alternate reality where Kara and Lena where never friends. And Kara was now trapped in a reality where Metallo!Lena ruled national city.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Redk!Supergirl/metallo!Lena
Comments: 186
Kudos: 598





	1. A New Alternate Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Side project that I've been working on my undisturbed lunch hours. I have no idea if I'm going to continue beyond this because I haven't thought that far ahead. 
> 
> Also I just wanted to try my hand at something different writing longer bits instead of shorter chapters like i usually do. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

The blackness was all there was.

Then slowly thought clawed its way through the void.

Abstract questions at first.

Is this death?  
Did it end?  
Or is this the phantom zone?

Then there was memory that pierced the veil of abstraction.

Lena.  
Lena was metallo.  
Lena was killing me.  
But this isn't the light of Rao.  
This isn't right. Lena wasn't right.  
Mxyzptlk was supposed to get us out of this reality.  
Where we weren't friends.  
The one where I wasn't there for her.

In her reluctance to accept the void she resisted against it and allowed sensation to seep through.

Burning. Cramping. Tightness.

If there's pain it means I'm still alive.

She reached out of the darkness for it, clawing her way back to consciousness. But if Kara knew the position she was in she wouldn't have tried.

Lena said she'd show her pain. As she gradually began coming back to her body, any remaining thoughts were drowned completely by unfiltered anguish.

A loud groan could not be suppressed and she couldn't open her eyes, only squeeze them shut even tighter.

The burning above came from her wrists, the familiar burn of kryptonite radiating from around them as her arms were stretched to their limits upward and wide beyond her shoulders.

Cramp in her shoulders as her sagging body forced her arms to hold all it's weight.

A tightness in her chest, her diaphragm struggled to maintain her respiration.

Panic ensued as a shallow breath caught in her lungs. She needed more air.

Her ankles were bound together and only the balls of her feet were able to touch the floor. But her body was stretched so far to the limit that the small purchase on the ground barely made a difference in relieving the stress on her body or the effort she needed to breathe.

Kara concentrated hard, pushing her pain back and focusing on getting her breathing under control.

Her fingers intertwined with the chains that secured the kryptonite cuffs at her wrist and she pulled, heaving herself upward while she squared her shoulders to relieve the pressure. Deep desperate breaths were drawn while on her tiptoes. Every muscle in her body taut with strain.

She couldn't stay this way. She could only hope to catch her breath.

Focusing on each inhale and exhale brought her panic back to manageable levels. It was only then she opened her eyes.

She was in this Lena's lab. The lighting as red and sinister as this version's CatCo.

Her body teetered as she took stock of her position. Still in her super suit, Kara was restrained standing 'Y' position in the middle of the lab. Craning her neck to the side, she noted two Lexosuit/Hope-bots positioned behind her, mirroring two in front of her, standing guard.

She moaned despondently as questions trickled back into her mind.

How many of those bots did Lena have? Why was she still here? Didn't Myxzptlk get to the hat?

She hated this reality.

Exhaling a pained filled breath she rolled her shoulders again, distributing the tension to other muscles.

Kara went rigid with the sound of heavy heels on the floor making their way toward her.

"Nervous Supergirl?"

"Lena," a breathy whisper tore from her throat.

Much to her added discomfort, a shudder ran up her spine as she felt the tips of Lena's fingers run up the side of her back, all the way to her achy shoulder.

"You're so tense," Lena's hot breath whispered back at the nape of her ear.

"I thought you were going to kill me?"

Lena came around her body to face her. Her green eyes bore into Kara's blue for a moment before she raised her eyebrow questioningly, "You almost sound upset that I didn't."

With her body stretched out Kara, stared down at Lena utterly devastated.

"It's not supposed to be like this. You aren't meant to be this way."

"Is that what you and that imp were trying to do? Alter reality? Change things so that I wouldn't be in control of the city?"

"No. So that you wouldn't be in this pain."

"Really?" Lena's finger traced Kara's jaw from ear to chin, then down to her middle of her windpipe.

"How generous of you- unfortunately, I don't believe you."

Lena clamped onto Kara's throat and squeezed.

Kara's eyes bulged as air to her lungs and blood her brain was immediately cut off. Her arms took all her weight and feet flailed beneath her, desperate to find solid ground, any leverage which she could use to escape the vicious hold.

"I promised- I'd never lie- to you again- Lena," Kara managed to gurgle out. All the while her blue eyes maintaining their sincerity for as long as she could till they began rolling back into the darkness of unconsciousness. The frantic movements of her body stilling.

Lena let go of her throat just as she was about to pass out.

Kara couldn't hear anything other than the roaring pump of blood trying to get back into her brain. She sucked in air but as her body hung from her arms her diaphragm wasn't being cooperative. Her toes tried their best to reclaiming their footing but they were of little help. If only she could use her numb arms.

As Kara worked on regaining her composure, she was being closely watched by a menacingly patient Lena. As she waited, Lena began musing to herself.

"Of all the things that you could do 5th dimension energy , you're here to undo something because of a lie?"

Lena scoffed, "How petty and thin skinned must I be in that reality? Like I haven't lied to you about anything?"

With her hair partially shrouding her bowed head Kara responded, "You didn't deserve my mistrust and the pain it caused. Much like you didn't deserve the pain that you've been through here."

Kara struggled to raise her head. Her glistening eyes peered from her lowered brow, staring right into Lena's green.

Lena swallowed suddenly unsure of what to say next, not expecting that compassion from anyone much less from a captured Supergirl of all people.

Kara fed on the feeling and pulled herself upright. Despite everything, she was sure that Lena was still inside under all the metallo bits. That she was just someone who wanted to do good for humanity and to be trusted and cared for.

"Please Lena, I wasn't there before, let me help you now."

Lena glowered abruptly and pulled her jacket open, exposing the alien to kryptonite.

"We hardly get what we deserve, don't we Supergirl?"

Kara gripped the chains even tighter as the green lit up the rest of her skin.

"Please Lena, don't do this. You don't have to do this. You don't have to be like this?"

Lena smirked at Kara's pleas.

"Is that how you begged your Lena? Did you do it on your knees?"

The chains suddenly slackened and Kara slammed painfully onto her knees with a loud yelp. The only thing preventing her from doubling over was the chains that where still holding her upright.

She could breathe easier now even though the trade off was the burn of kryptonite radiation.

"Lena I know you. You are a good person. I know we can do so much good together. You don't have to let what happened to define you."

Lena stepped a breath away from Kara, towering over her. Kara's stomach turned and she gritted her teeth. Every cell of her body on fire.

"I'll tell you a secret, my dear friend _Kara_. No amount of pleading would ever sway a Luthor. In this or any other universe. Luthors are in the end- the masters of their own fate."

Kara's face contorted in pain and but hidden inside was an understanding too.

Lena lifted Kara's chin upward, forcing Kara to look her in the eye. Then she cupped Kara's cheek with her hand and with her thumb, gently traced the lines of kryptonite.

"But I do agree. We can accomplish so much together, now with imp is gone..."

"What?"

"He left you here to rot."

Kara whipped her face away from Lena's caress, her deadweight arms jerking from the motion.

"No he- he wouldn't." 

"You mean you aren't here to help me?" Lena frowned with a disingenuous pout, "Different universe, same lying Kara."

There was a mix of pain and sorrow on Kara's face. It was as if no matter what she did or say in this or any other reality she was destined to be at odds with Lena.

"No. Lena I want to help you. I know- I know that we'll be stonger together. But not like this. Not through fear. Through hope and compassion. You are a good person and if you could see it for yourself, you can save everyone. And they'll see you the way I do."

Kara ended her plea with a groan clenching her eyes shut. Pulling on her arms, she desperately wanted to double over into a fetal position, the kryptonite burning more aggressively.

Lena swallowed nervously once more. She watched as the lines of poison doubled on the writhing alien before the her. No one ever spoke to her like that. Not since her real mother died. She had long ago lost the fight to the Luthor wickedness that resided in her blood. And here was her enemy telling her she could be good, the way she always wanted to be. As if it were so simple. She almost wanted to help this Kara back to her own reality where all that happened between them was a lie. Where maybe she never was this way.

The fervor of Supergirl's struggles gradually tappered off until she began sagging against her restraints. The kryptonite exposure had come to a peak and blackness loomed once more. Was this the end?

Kara's hair veiled her face when one final word extracted itself in a whisper from what could have been her last breath.

"Lena."

Her kryptonite heart had powered up unintentionally as Lena's emotional boxes cracked open. Lena's eyes widened, suddenly afraid. Of what she wasn't quite sure. But she couldn't kill the kryptonian just yet. She had plans.

Quickly she stepped away as she redid her lead lined jacket, concealing her the kryptonite.

The lines of poison receded immediately.

An unlaboured breath came through and the cool air a welcome relief from the burning cells of her body.

She hated kryptonite.

Her eyes opened slowly. As she lifted her chin upward she didn't resist gravity as it pulled on the back of her head. It allowed her to see Lena still standing over her.

Clearly she hadn't been out for very long. Staring back at Lena, Kara's heart broke a little more. This Lena was so broken because she wasn't there for her.

"Please Lena I can help you."

Lena's own glistening eyes suddenly rolled in annoyance and she nodded to one of Hope robots.

Was this the end now? Had Lena just been toying with her?

Kara couldn't help but panic as two Hope robots grabbed her upper arms and hauled her up to her unsteady bound feet. A third took up position behind her.

"Lena you don't have to do this. You can still do the right thing."

Lena nodded again at the robot behind Kara.

Kara could hear the machine's mechanical moments behind her and closed her eyes. There was no fighting what Lena was about to do.

To Kara's surprise however, the start of a more painful end never came. Instead, the Hope robot released her bound feet, then undid the restraints on her wrists. The other two holding her never let go and gently brought her dead weight arms to her side, supporting her as she reacquainted herself with standing on her own.

Kara could only stare at Lena with confusion.

"I'm not a monster. I want to protect this city from harm. So as much as I hate to admit- I think you're right. You can help me."

Lena looked on as the task of her forth robot went unnoticed. Supergirl wasn't even sure why she winced, maybe to her it was the muscle soreness that came with finally being free.

But Lena knew otherwise. She saw the red lines of a different kryptonite infect the alien. Making its way to affect her brain.

The robots released Supergirl but did not move away just yet. Supergirl closed her eyes as she rolled her shoulders and her neck.

"A Super and a Luthor together. Imagine what we could accomplish."

With her chin tilted downward Kara peered at Lena from hooded eyes, her pupils blown. Her breathing heavy but steady.

"I knew you'd see things my way eventually Lena."

A cautious Lena raised her eyebrow, half not expecting it to have gone so smoothly, half even more weary of the affected kryptonian.

But Kara gave a dark and mischievous smile.

"Your vigilante friends have killed Reign and captured Brainiac 5. They've also taken control of the DEO and are in possession of powerful artifacts that can be used against us."

"Thank Rao, they got rid of your baggage," Kara laughed.

"Excuse me?"

Kara casually took her first steps toward Lena and stopped just out of arms length.

"You are a genius all on your own Lena. But you never knew how to run a media empire did you?"

Kara kept smiling at Lena who was not particularly amused by her insult over her lack of media proficiency.

"Oh Lena you are beautiful when you're angry. But I'm afraid that won't work for the new age we're about to usher in. You and Reign kept everyone im check through fear. She was a firm hand over the city. But-"

Supergirl closed the distance between them and slowly reached up to place her hand gently on Lena's cheek.

"- you and I. We are going to show them how to live in loving submission."

Kara closed her eyes and leaned in, gently pressing her lips against Lena's in a careful kiss.

Lena certainly didn't expect this. She never thought anyone would...

In a flash of fury she wrenched Kara's hand off her and twisted.

"You seem to have the wrong impression Supergirl. I'm surely not submitting to you."

Lena squeezed in a show of strength, illustrating that she had the power to break the kryptonian's hand if she applied more pressure. If Supergirl got her meaning she didn't reciprocate an ounce of fear or intimation, nor did she seek to test Lena's strength by resisting.

"You've got it wrong Lena. We'll show them just how great it is to live worshipping the queen. If that's not something you're interested in....you might as well..."

Supergirl's other hand lifted to Lena's jacket and pulled in one swift move exposing herself to the kryptonite.

Lena watched as Supergirl doubled over in pain and dropped to one knee. Then Lena finally understood, it was Supergirl who was submitting to her. In showing the people that Supergirl and Lena Luthor were working together they'd fall in line willingly. However it would not be something she herself could achieve, Supergirl would have to do the heavy lifting, so to speak, she was their Hail Mary after all. Their savior. 

Lena let go and Supergirl's arm fell with the rest of the alien and took Lena took her time to redo her jacket, concealing her kryptonite heart yet again.

"What about your vigilante friends? They still have control of the DEO."

Supergirl was in the middle of catching her breath after her latest kryptonite exposure. Her head lifted upward to face her queen.

"It doesn't matter. Let them have it. They won't be able to stop us."

Red lines from the red kryptonite exposure flashed through Supergirl's face again. A sobering reminder for Lena. This wasn't the hero anymore, her moral constraints dissolved. More unbound god than hero.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" Lena leered.

There was only mischief to be found in the smirk of kneeling demi goddess before her, "Can you really say that you have ever trusted anyone Lena?"

All Lena could do was sneer. She didn't like that her former enemy now 'friend' seemed to know her so much about her. Nor did she appreciate the resultant mocking either. But with the order she created in jeopardy, this was the best immediate course of action. She was also somehow bolstered by the fact that Supergirl did not appear opposed to the idea as well.

"Well then Kara," Lena offered her hand to the woman below her, "we have a empire to get up and running."

Kara's eye twinkled in delight as she was helped up onto her feet by Lena's firm hand.

"Let the new age of a Luthor and a Super begin," Kara's smirked as the red krptonite line snaked through her face once again.

Lena grabbed Supergirl's forearm and pulled her close, "Cross me and I'll keep my word for you to die screaming."

Supergirl just grinned wider, "You can kill me a thousand times Lena, I'll make sure to scream your name every time you do."

Lena felt a very real shudder inside as the steely blue stared back at her. It was like she was on the cusp, of either ultimate greatness or utter desolation. Of which she wasn't quite sure.

\------  
It was about the thousandth snap of his fingers.

Myxzptlk whimpered. Kara had trusted him. And now she was getting caught up in that awful alternate reality.

He had to dip his hand deep into the hat to reach the 5th dimensional energy. Kara should have returned with him the moment he was able to finally access it. But instead he came back to her apartment alone and she got captured by an Evil Lena Luthor. And try as he might to fix it, he was unable to pull her back from that reality.

Since he came to Kara to help her, the 5th dimensional energy had been behaving skittish. He thought it was simply the unpredictability of Lena's reactions that caused the lag in showing Kara her different options. But now he wasn't so sure, maybe it was him.

At the moment it had felt like he couldn't access enough of its energy to retrieve Kara out of the reality she was currently trapped in.

All he was able to do was watch as the events unfolded in what was becoming a brand new alternate reality on the tv screen.

"What am I going to do?" 


	2. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shortened the title.

"This isn't going to work," her voice thick with contempt.

"It will."

"People aren't so idiotic to think a change in colour is indicative of an instantaneous paradigm shift."

Supergirl closed her eyes as her brow crinkled in annoyance, hiding her rolling eyes. Lena was railing at Supergirl from behind her desk and could see now the red kryptonite snaking up her face.

Supergirl's menacing eyes opened and the icy blue bore directly into her.

"Humans are sheep- they want to be led."

Supergirl stepped up to the opposite edge of the desk. Challenging her.

"They want to put all their trust in something."

Or enticing her?

"That person can be you Lena. We have the opportunity to pin all of this on Reign. That you were just appeasing her... _reigning in_ , her more destructive impulses for the good of the city. But no one will buy that if you give them same thing."

Supergirl abruptly softened and casually folded her arms, "But in the end it's all up to you really. Maybe you don't really want to keep protecting them."

Unaccustomed to her resolve being questioned in such a flippant manner, Lena snapped. Her hand slammed onto her desk, splitting it in two.

"How dare you! All I ever wanted was to keep people safe. The way _you_ failed to keep me safe."

Supergirl raised her eyebrow but otherwise was unphased by the jab.

"I'm just saying if that's not something you are still interested in then you really shouldn't pretend. Me of all people know how ungrateful they can be. Always criticizing no matter how much times you save them. And no matter how much you save _you can't save them all._ Comes with the job unfortunately."

Supergirl tilted her head with a sigh as she watched Lena process the truth of her words.

"So technically you have also an opportunity to give up that mission of yours. Or you can try and meet me half way."

Supergirl walked backwards raising her arms questioningly in the air, "Your choice."

"Where are you going?"

"To the DEO."

If Lena wasn't angry before she sure was now, "What!"

Her anger alerted Hope robots who rushed into the room on guard for a confrontation with Supergirl.

Supergirl lifted her hands up in mocking surrender as Lena approach her dripping with venom.

"I'm just going to tell my vigilante friends what we're up to."

Lena's arm shot out, her fingers now finding, what was becoming, their well acquainted place around Supergirls throat. Constriction was much more difficult for Lena with Supergirl at regular strength and as such the action itself less threatening. However they both knew all she needed to do was open jacket and expose her kryptonite heart for greater effectiveness.

"Don't you play games with me Supergirl," Lena snarled.

Supergirl's eyes ran along the length of Lena's arm with her darkened blues laying into Lena's angry green. She didn't tense her body, in fact, the girl of steel relaxed in the hold, smiling broadly. Allowing it to happen. Putting her life in Lena's hands figuratively and literally.

"I'm going to tell them about our policy changes so they don't think it's just some trick. When they realize I'm working with you- they'll fall in line too."

Supergirl's fingers traced lightly from Lena's forearm to the back of her hand until her hand rested gently on top Lena's. Not trying to pull it away, urging it to stay. Like saying she wanted it there on her throat. Like it belonged there.

"Isn't that what you want Lena?"

Lena herself was suddenly thrown into unfamiliar uncertainty of the entire situation.

In the hours they had been negotiating a way forward, Supergirl had challenged her more than anyone had. She and Reign had a mutually beneficial arrangement. Reign handled justice and Lena maintained order. Brainy simply couldn't deny her logic after his alignment and followed her rule.

But Supergirl, she was promising everything. Asserting that people would accept submitting to her. However Lena was realizing that to do so required mutual surrender.

She needed to let go to gain control.

At the same instance, this redk Supergirl, was undoubtedly different than before becoming infected. Somehow Lena found her dear friend Kara that first came to her more believable than this version. Kara said she'd never lie to her and Lena knew that was truth.

But this Supergirl simply grinned mischievously at every point of contention. More like a Cheshire cat than anything else. As if Supergirl was just letting her have her tantrums knowing Lena would bend to her suggestion anyway. Like if Supergirl knew what she'd choose.

In that way she couldn't help but feel more like a puppet to Supergirl's whims instead of her being the one in control of an impulsive kryptonian.

Yet at the same time, she wants my hand around her throat. But what else? She's hiding something.

"How can I trust you Supergirl?"

Again Supergirl's smiled widened, "There's nothing I can say that will make you trust me."

She held Lena's hand firmly in place at her neck and once more reached for Lena's jacket ready to uncover the kryptonite. In the instant when Lena saw what she was doing she released Supergirl with a small push to get her out of her reach.

"Don't do that again," Lena said angrily and somewhat breathlessly.

Kara pursed her lips and raised her eyebrow, "Guess now there is nothing I can do either."

Her flippancy grated on Lena's nerves further, "I'll let you work out _this,_ stalemate issue of trust on your own Lena. Like you said, Luthors make their own choices. Masters of their fate and all that. I'll meet you at the press conference. You have till then to decide if you are committed to your cause."

Supergirl gave a small knowing smile then spun on her heel. For a moment, she glanced at the Hope robots that were standing behind her before slowing making her way out of Lena's office to the sky of National city.

Leaving Lena alone and fuming. She hated how Supergirl so quickly got under her skin. Unsure now of to who exactly was manipulating who.

....

It was the most significant foothold they'd made in years against Lena's regime and they needed more hands to secure the DEO. Unfortunately Alex was the only additional person they could afford right now.

They had captured and subdued Brainy and while he appeared to have become unaligned once more they couldn't take the chance to bring him into the DEO. So he stayed secured at The Tower along with Kelly and Nia who agreed to assess him.

Alex, Winn and Mon-El were busy purging all previous security measures and surveillance that was previously set up by Lena. J'onn, with a heavy heart and the staff of H'ronmeer in hand, was keeping an eye out, expecting Hope-bots to descend on them at any time to try and retake the DEO.

Not having heard back from Kara in several hours was more disquieting than everything else. She should have been back by now. Lena could be doing any number of things to her. Their only solace, at least for the time being, was that Lena hadn't yet publicly declared victory over the terrorist Supergirl on television yet. Still, in the back of everyone's anxious mind, they knew that Kara not having returned was not a good sign.

Over his shoulder J'onn heard his friends congregate in the rotunda.

Mon-El emptied his cape full of broken camera equipment on the round table, "Got rid of all Lena's surveillance equipment on this level at least."

"And while he was doing that I secured the alien weapon storage. I also rigged up some basic booby traps so if they decide to storm the castle, we'd have some time to get out of here. What about you Winn?" Alex questioned.

Winn spun around in his chair, "Well I now have control of the building, defenses included, severed the connection between here and LCorp and set up a new firewall," his voice grew somber before he continued, "all done with a surprising degree of ease and virtually zero resistance."

A wordles nervousness was shared among them. But it was Mon-El who gave voice to it, "We still haven't heard from Kara?"

J'onn joined them, "No- we haven't."

Somehow saying it out loud deepened their anxiety.

"What do we do?" Winn asked.

J'onn looked at each of them, knowing that they were looking to him for his continued guidance.

"Good work so far. We'll try to keep the DEO out of Lena's hands for as long as we're able. Umtil we can't, we grab what we can and destroy what we aren't able to take with us, so at least she won't be able to use it against us."

"But what about Kara?" Mon-El interjected.

"If that bitch hurts my sister, I swear I'll kill her. "

"Glad to know you'll at least try to avenge me Alex- but that won't be necessary," the familiar voice rang out behind them.

Relief showered upon the superfriends as Alex ran into Kara's arms, squeezing her as tight as humanly possible, "Kara- thank god."

"Thank Lena actually," Kara said casually as she saw the instant confusion that it brought to her friends.

Alex immediately released her and stared at her questioningly, "What...what does that mean?"

Kara moved to join the rest of her friends, "Lena and I had a long chat and I've convinced her that some things have to change."

"You have?" J'onn inquired cautiously.

Kara smiled, "Yes she's been quite open to discussion on how to move forward."

"Move forward? Kara- what are you saying exactly?" the tension rising in Alex's voice.

"She's agreed to let go some of that control she's had on National city. And with Reign gone she doesn't want the city to descend into chaos so she agreed to work with me in preventing that from happening."

Winn's jaw slackened, "She and you as in Lena Luthor and you?"

"Yes," Kara beamed proud of her accomplishment, "but- don't worry I told her to let you keep the DEO. CatCo stays with her while me and the Hope- bots will be around to keep everyone safe."

But Alex shook her head, "What?! Kara you're working with Lena Luthor. She's the enemy here."

Before Alex could finish her tirade the edge of the table crumple in Kara's fist in subdued frustration.

"She's not," Kara exhaled slowly, "Lena is not a villain. You just keep treating her like one. She just needs someone to believe in her and she'll do the right thing."

"Are you hearing yourself right now Kara? The amount of people that have just vanished- gone- disappeared from existence under Lena Luthor-"

"Lena just wants to protect people Alex! You just need to give her a chance!"

"Or maybe you aren't thinking clearly Kara!"

The superfriends all straightened after Alex's last assertion and stared at her waiting for a hopeful reassurance that their big gun was thinking soundly. But it didn't come. Kara smiled wryly.

"I see what this is. You never trusted that I could help her be the good person that she wants to be. Always doubting that I could save her. Well things are going to change now. And you will see how great the world can be with a Super and Luthor taking the lead."

J'onn frowned. Unsure of how to proceed. He wasn't reading any psychic energy off Kara but at the same time he couldn't read her mind either.

"You can't be serious Kara, after all Lena's done..." Winn pleaded.

"People can change Winn. You'll see. Trust me."

"She did something to you didn't she?" Alex accused next.

Kara's eyes darkened as she replied ominously, "Maybe I did something to her instead."

Tension peaked in the room but was undercut by Kara's sudden smirk.

"Look I just came here to give you guys the heads up and ask that you just not get in the way. The less conflict during this, transition period the better. Especially with you guys, your non compliance with this olive branch will make me lose my credibility with Lena. So I'd really appreciate you hang back and allow us to work."

"Transition period? To what?" J'onn asked.

"To a brighter tomorrow of course," Kara said with a smile, that did not allay any of their apprehension in the slightest.

Kara began walking backwards away from them, "I have to go. Remember try to lay low for a few days."

Her exit was haulted by Mon-El who had remained unusually quiet thus far, "What about Myxzpltk?"

Kara's smile faded. Like she hadn't even gave a thought about the imp till now.

"What about him? He's gone isn't he?"

"Yes but didn't you both say you'd be able to fix things once he got the hat? That none of this was supposed to be real?"

"Like you said never trust an imp," Kara sighed heavily, "but it's fine, I'll take care of everything now."

As Kara was about to turn and fly away she stopped to ask, "What happened to the hat?"

"It disappeared with him," Mon-El confirmed.

Kara gave a mocking sad face, "Shame."

"Oh well, a brand new day in National city begins in the morning. Hope you guys are ready for it," Kara smiled radiantly before she took off to the sky leaving confusion in her wake.

"Ok, that was disconcerting," Winn commented.

....

"Very much so," J'onn responded with his arms folded as he watch the alternate reality play out from Kara's apartment.

Myxzpltk had pulled both him and Alex out of their happy place and explained the situation.

"How do we get her out?"Alex demanded.

"I don't know that's what I been trying to tell you," Myx snapped his fingers, "it isn't working."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was a fic I started writing on my phone at work during my break. And now that covid hit, and I've been sent home and I suppose this is the one I can now work on without having to move from my prone position. Hope things aren't dire with you.
> 
> Also I still don't have a clue where this is going so any new chapter would be a surprise to me as well as for you.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading.


	3. The morning after

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya know being laid off while there's a pandemic is actually a lot more trying than just regular unemployment.

"We have to get her out Myx!" Alex was desperate.

"I've been trying but i don't know what else to do! This has never happened before! It's like she's out of my reach."

The worry was palpable on both Alex and J'onn.

"We have to get her out before she does something under the redk influence she won't forgive herself for."

  
\----

  
To say she was nervous was an understatement. But to say that a kryptonite powered robot even felt nervous was absurd.

It was dawn now. From the balcony at CatCo she had a clear view of sun rising over National City. She hoped it would bring a sense of calm. Lena realized she had never really stopped to ever do such a thing in years. To admire beauty. Not since her real mother drowned at least. Her life had been a cruel mix of turmoil and torment ever since.

Their address to city was set for 8am. An alert had already been sent out to the public. It wasn't something she usually did but this time Lena needed a failsafe of sorts to prevent her from backing out. There were going to a lot of changes coming.

She had spent the rest of the night preparing herself for it. All the while questioning herself, questioning whether she could trust Supergirl.

But there was promise at least.

Hope robots had been sent out to follow Supergirl after she left and they reported back her activities.

Supergirl made no attempt to escape the robots tailing her as she went to the DEO as she said but didn't stay long. Then she flew around the city until something interesting finally happened. Hope robots were dealing with some errant teens who where out of their homes outside of curfew. Supergirl intervened. She ordered the robots to stand down and leave the defiant youth alone.

In the tense moment Supergirl knew Lena was monitoring the situation. It was at that moment Lena finally decided to take a leap. The Hope robots disengaged but did not leave. Instead on Supergirl's lead, they assisted in escorting the youths back to their homes. All the while Supergirl explaining to them that things were going to change in the morning. They didn't believe her at first but with the Hope robots backing her play they couldn't deny the evidence before them.

That was Supergirl real power, planting the seeds of hope and belief that brighter days will come.

Still, she was infected with red kryptonite and Lena knew better, she was hiding her true intentions. If she only knew what they were she won't feel so out of control.

The hairs on the back of Lena's neck pickled as a she heard a gentle touchdown behind her.

"I see you took my advice. At least you aren't wearing that gaudy blood red color you also seem fond of."

"I wouldn't have thought I would take fashion advice from Supergirl. But I suppose you have to be good at something even if it is relatively meaningless."

Lena turned around to face her now, revealing that her wine red asymmetric suit had black trimming, "As you can see I couldn't get rid of all the black in such short notice."

Supergirl's eyes darkened. She bit her bottom lip and she drank Lena like she was a cold beverage in an endless desert. Her roving eyes mapping every inch the delicate waves of Lena's cascading long hair.

"Lena," was the breathy whisper.

Lena would frown at the blatant objectification if she weren't so intrigued. No one had ever looked at her the way Supergirl was looking at her now. As if she wanted to spend eternity devouring her.

With no overt objection from Lena, Supergirl took decisive action. She closed the distance between them, lightly touched Lena's face and pressed her lips against Lena's.

With her eyes closed, Supergirl's kiss was slow, soft and gentle, while heat radiated off her. Lena watched her revel in the action, her own lips set closed and unreciprocating. Confused as to why this was happening, if it were all part of Supergirl's own manipulation and equally confused as to why she was allowing it to continue. She would have never thought that the girl of steel could be so delicate. She never thought someone who be so delicate with her.

Supergirl's fingers caressed her face as her tongue grew hungry for more, ghosting Lena's lips, asking for entry.

Lena didn't quite notice her own control slip as she closed her eyes. Perhaps it was her curiosity getting the better of her, she wanted to know what the girl of steel tasted like too. She kissed Supergirl back.

Lena felt fingers tangling in her hair, drawing her even closer. Her own tongue reaching out, tasting, wrestling with Supergirl's. The ensuing battle was short-lived however with Supergirl infinitely more greedy at her task, taking what she wanted.

Lena's eyes flew open at the aggressive shift, almost horrified to see the redk snaking up the alien's face, as it were tattooed on. Instantly she ripped the fingers caressing her scalp away from her, extracting herself from Supergirl's space.

It was hard to tell if Supergirl was angry at the move with her face overtook by the redk. Her dilated pupils simply stared back at Lena, waiting for something to happen.

"So is this what you want? To be on top of me?" Lena snarled.

The lines of red illuminated more aggressively as if they were giving her the answer.

"No that's not exactly accurate Lena," she replied drawing out the pronunciation of her name.

"You can't lie to me Supergirl."

"I know. I told you I wouldn't ever again," the redk retracted curiously.

"Then tell me- what exactly do you want out of our arrangement?"

"To be on top of you-"

Her blown eyes holding Lena's with their intensity.

"-to be below you," she took a step forward, "at your side," another step, "at your back," a final step, "or at your feet."

She was standing before Lena now, peering down at her.

"Where ever you want me to be, as long as it's next to you."

Supergirl didn't make any more moves towards the skeptical Lena.

"You have no idea how empty it is without you."

Lena raised her eyebrow as if she'd found the thread that would unravel the entire ruse.

"You mean without the Lena from your dimension? You don't actually care for me. I'm a monster."

But Supergirl simply flashed her Cheshire smile, regarding Lena as if she had just played herself.

"No. It's like you said. Luthors are masters of their own fate, this universe or that. Things might have happened differently but, Lena is Lena. Turning pain into power no matter the dimension. Isn't that true?"

The more Lena stared into Supergirl's eyes the more out of control she felt. Like she was standing before some all knowing entity. That this being knew more about her than she probably knew about herself.

But Lena wasn't a fencer without a good counter attack.

"You're more a fool than I thought Supergirl."

Supergirl traded her smile for a shallow crinkle in her brow, "And how's that?"

"You love me don't you?" Lena's voice thick with condescension.

Supergirl's face instantly relaxed and took up her smile once more this time with a twinkle in her eyes.

"A fool led by the most irrational emotion of all."

Supergirl threw her head back and laughed before gazing deep into Lena's eyes once more, piercing all her defenses.

"You aren't a robot Lena. You and Reign were just exploiting each other to achieve your own ends. You get control and she got justice. But I see you Lena Luthor, I doubt anyone else ever has and I want them all to see you too."

Supergirl gestured with her arm wide to the city below them. Lena's breathing doubled.

"We'll show them. We'll show them how good you are. That's what you want don't you Lena?"

A shiver went straight down Lena's spine and she could feel her face flush red hot, unsure of if it was from fear or validation long sought and never gotten. It was as unnatural to her as her enjoyment of the sunrise.

For the first time since becoming who she was now did she feel this uncertainty.

Supergirl wasn't just promising her continuity of control but everything she ever wanted since the Luthor name was even bestowed on her. As if Supergirl had broke into her very dreams, saw what she always wanted and was now offering it all to her on a silver platter. All Lena had to do was to take a leap of faith and trust her.

Trust this compromised, brain altered kryptonian?

Lena straightened, "You make an enticing pitch Supergirl but there's no way I can trust you."

"I never expected you to. Lena is Lena after all. But Supergirl is Supergirl," her voice suddenly lowered as her playfulness ceased. "You don't have to trust me- I'll still be here, no matter the universe."

The sincere assurance seemed real but redk flushed her face once more.

Supergirl rested her elbows on the railing taking her own turn to admire the view, "Tell me you at least getting a new desk to sit behind to give your address."

"Actually...I was thinking about doing it outside."

Supergirl raised her eyebrow and smiled, "You are truly a genius."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this story is going.
> 
> If this makes sense, Kara is laughing at Lena's mention of love because if Lena actually believes that Kara loves her without Kara having to say it then Kara's own manipulation is already working without Lena even realizing it.


	4. Forming the Super-Luthor Utopia

The people of National City looked on with moderate level of anxiety on their morning breakfast routines as four Hope robots were construction a structure at the waterfront. It was as they held a shared breath, unsure if it had anything to do with Lena Luthor's announcement, but collectively knew that something was about to be drastically altered in their lifes yet again.

The Hope robots finished their construction and stood guard, ensuring nothing tampered with it. At 7:50am ten more Hope robots descended taking up various positions around the waterfront.

People began gathering curiously, out of the robots way of course but in clusters nonetheless.

At exactly 7:59am another Hope robot took position in front of what was obviously now supposed to be a platform, and another landed in the middle. The latter different from regular Hope robots as it was all black and of a sleeker design than the others.

At 8am Lena Luthor took a deep breath before the black suit retracted revealing her to the public. It was probably the first time they ever saw her in the flesh and couldn't hold back their collective gasp as they came closer to gawk at her.

The bot in front of her transmited video to every TV screen in National City while the other ten about the waterfront acted as speakers for her address to the people who where present.

_People of National City. A new day has dawned upon us all. We, myself included, have been liberated from the tyrannical hold of Reign._

_For years she has kept a tight grip on this city. She convinced me that with my technology she could ensure that our city could be one of the safest. And it worked, but it came at a terrible cost._

_With the help of Supergirl, last night Reign was finally defeated._

_She and I have agreed that together we will work on building a brighter tomorrow for all the citizens of this city._

Continuous murmurs rippled through the untrusting, gathered crowd. Lena tensed. She felt so exposed despite the number of Hope robots she had to defend her.

Hope was fully capable of scanning and assessing threats but fell short when a bagel and cream cheese projectile was launched at Lena. Lena watched in slow motion almost as it flew towards her.

At 8:03am Supergirl made her dramatic entrance. Her speed so fast and her halt so sudden that a wave of air and dust rushed outward from around her. She didn't land and hovered inches from the ground having intercepted the food projectile midair.

Hope robots responded to her as if she were a threat at first powering up their weapons and pointing at her. Supergirl ignored them for the most part. She only looked to the would be 'attacker' with a disappointed glare, "Now that isn't very nice."

The entire crowd appeared to respond with a collective shame from their hero's rebuke.

Hope robots disengaged as Supergirl quickly dispatched the bagel eating it herself while she floated over to Lena on her last chew.

Supergirl landed next to her and smiled playfully at her as if nothing had happened. The internal outrage however was clear in Lena's eyes.

Supergirl turned to the crowd to speak to them.

_National City. I know that I took some time to help you and you are mistrusting of Lena Luthor. But it's all true. She and I stand together._

_The curfew has been lifted. Live. Celebrate._

_Lena and I will continue protecting you from harm and with your help, together we are going to make National City the city of the future._

Lena watched silently surprised at the buzzing scene, now turned from its initial skepticism. It wasn't as if Supergirl were saying anything ground breakingly different but still the people hung on her every word. Drinking it in like she was newly sprung well of hope. That their hero had finally saved them from their dystopia.

Supergirl beamed at the crowd that suddenly started cheering for her. She waved at them. Through her continuous smile she turned to Lena and urged, "Time to smile and wave Lena."

Lena frowned at her and Supergirl stifled her laughter.

"Alright don't smile but at least give 'em a wave."

Reluctantly Lena slowly put her arm in the air giving an unenthusiastic wave. The cheer of the crowd grew louder at her gesture the more she did it. If anything, their reaction horrified her. It proved Supergirl was right about the masses, that they were just sheep. She and Reign were trying to beat the populace into obedience when the truth was they wanted someone to follow.

The hairs at her neck prickled at the realization that she had made a serious error in judgement.

Not at the going through with the plan but at her grave underestimation of Supergirl. It was always easy to assume you could outwit the girl of steel. She always seems like nothing more than a sentient asteroid hurling headfirst into fights, nothing more than brute strength with a few extra special abilities rather than someone of higher intelligence.

But Supergirl clearly had, at the very least, superb judgment. She played this crowd like a fiddle. Which simply made Lena that more suspicious of her.

With her wide smile of accomplishment Supergirl turned to her, "See they love you. Wait till we show them what you can really do Lena."

Lena's green eyes could not suppress its gleam despite the fact that in her mind she knew this was all simply part of Supergirl's manipulation of her.

  
\---

  
_Supergirl joins National City parade celebrating the end of the Reign of Terror. The girl of steel promises good things to come from Lena Luthor._

"Myx what's happening?" Alex questioned as the scene suddenly changed.

_Lena Luthor and Supergirl construct Solar Mega grid. National City provides free clean energy for all. The ambitious Luthor sets fusion power and wireless electricity in her sights._

"Video montage. It's fast forwarding."

"Are you doing that?" J'onn asked.

Myx snapped his fingers.

_Hope robots earn their name and are put to work on agricultural production on new Luthor project No One Hungry._

"No I'm most definitely not doing it. How is this even happening?"

_Supergirl and Hope robots save the day. Alien attack in the city foiled. Reconstruction of damaged property completes overnight!_

"Could the fifth dimensional energy Lena's tapped into be powering this reality."

"Listen space dad, when I tell you I have no idea how this is happening, with my knowledge of the dimensions, I literally don't know. I mean I was doing this before so I could show Kara how things would turn out after she made a different choice but I have no control over the present situation."

_Nanobots the next step in modern medicine? Lena Luthor's newest technological offering begin human trials._

"What if Kara's doing it?"

Myx and J'onn stared at Alex.

"What if it's her controlling it now? You heard what she said- she wants to save Lena."

_A month later does the partnership between a Luthor and a Super usher in a new era for growth in National City? Innovators think so as they flock to be a part of the city of the future_

J'onn considered Alex's suggestion for a moment, "Even if that's the case I don't see that happening with her under the influence of red kryptonite."

The scene switched back to Supergirl who was patrolling the night sky.  
\----  
Suddenly Supergirl spotted something and came to an abrupt stop. She darted downward into an alleyway before the graffiti vandal even knew what was happening.

The vandal dangled a foot off the ground in Supergirl's grip, holding him by his hoodie as she surveyed the damages. Anti Luthor-Super sentiment was something that she only heard in whispers.

"Let go of me traitor!"

"Traitor?" the redk slithered up her neck and over her jaw.

"You didn't save us! You handed us over on a sliver platter to that bitch!"

Supergirl smirked at first then switched hands but now grasped the agitator by the throat.

"You people just don't ever appreciate what you have do you?" the heat energy in her eyes pooled, "If I were Reign I'd just turn you to ash."

The terrified vandal gurgled and struggled trying to extract himself but there was nothing he could do to get away.

Supergirl let the fear settle in his skin before she allowed her heat vision to retract.

"I'm trying to build a better world and all you have to do is enjoy it. You humans are greedy little things- you can have everything you want and still not be satisfied."

Supergirl abruptly let go of him and let the vandal fall to the ground below him with a heavy thud and a loud grunt.

"If you don't like it here you are free to leave. There are a lot of others who want the same opportunity you have."

He crawled to gather his bag of spray paint.

"No. Leave it and go. And don't let me find you here again."

The agitator struggled onto his feet and stumbled away as fast as he could.

Supergirl would be impressed by the artist's work if he didn't paint herself and Lena in such an authoritarian light.

With the supplies left behind got to work doing her own artwork.

Upon finishing took one last look at her masterpiece before taking to the sky onward to her original destination of LCorp to meet with Lena.

Left behind on the side of the building was a mural of the cityscape one would see it from the balcony of CatCo at dawn. The way Lena and Supergirl saw the city. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do ya think?


	5. The Dominion of the Queen

Supergirl was on approach.

Tired of being snuck up on by the alien, Lena created a detection device to alert her when Supergirl was near.

They found that between the hours of 4am and 6am to be the most convenient for them to discuss any plans and or issues they might have. And right now Lena had issues.

The past month had actually gone exceptionally well for Lena. Without having to deal with dissidents, Lena was free to put her foot on the gas to make positive changes for the benefit of the people. To take them into the future like she always wanted. Before she became....this.

She would have never thought the people would be so accepting of her and her vision for the city. Even Supergirl's former vigilante friends found no real need to don their capes as their was nothing to fight. Lena was sure it burned them to admit that things were better now.

While it was her vision, it was one undoubtedly shown through the lenses of Supergirl. None of what she'd accomplished thus far would have been possible without the kryptonian backing her. In that way Lena felt like she was cheating, like she didn't actually earn the people's acceptance, she simply bought it.

Thus far Supergirl had in fact been true to her word. For the most part she had been the public face to their joint venture, taking up responsibility at CatCo. Supergirl took every opportunity she could to laud over the work both she and Lena were doing to improve the lives of National City's citizens. The people couldn't help but be enthralled by the picture of the future she would paint for them. They hung on her every word and she could dispell their every fear.

Any fear they may have had of Lena Luthor herself felt like a distant memory. Why were they even afraid of the adopted Luthor that was wronged by her own family? Lena just wanted the best for them and was finally able to do so now that their safety was well handled. She toiled out of the spotlight not requiring thanks, only emerging with some new dazzling development.

But the public craved access to their former dictator. They had many unanswered questions that she had the answers to. Like if she was such a genius, why did she let herself be dictated to by Reign?

Supergirl always came to her defense, turning a mirror on them for any such questions. What would they have realistically done if they were in Lena's shoes? She at least didn't let Reign have the run of things. And why didn't they resist together with the other caped heros in the city? Such introspection was a sure way to shame any of those who would seek to start smearing Lena's name in the mud.

Still, besides all that, Lena maintained her weariness and mistrust of Supergirl, secretly devising new countermeasures for the moment the inevitable betrayal. She was about to put one in place now in fact.

Supergirl entered her lab, floating inches off the ground. She did that almost all the time, as if to remind people she was something more than they were with this subtle show of power. Flaunting her alienness.

Blue eyes scanned the lab, irises immediately blown the moment they landed on what she came here to see. Only then did she land on solid ground and sauntered toward Lena, their eyes locked.

Despite a month of their partnership, Supergirl's lecherous expression in Lena's presence never wavered. Whether they were in private or in public, Lena always found Supergirl gazing at her like if she were a five star, seven course gourmet meal. Supergirl hadn't taken any further action since the morning of their alliance- that was their last kiss, but her eyes always kept the invitation open, perhaps waiting for Lena to make the next move.

The ego in Lena affirmed that she had made Supergirl respect her boundaries, that she would determine the tone of their relationship.

In reality it couldn't be further from the truth, though she would never admit it to herself.

Every single time Supergirl met her with this lustful contemplation, the recesses of Lena's mind was thrown in chaos and confusion. Even after a month, her breathing still quickened and grew heavier whenever she was in the room.

Supergirl might as well be a god. What interest could she possibly have in broken human with a piss poor patch job like Lena. How could she want this? Why? Perhaps it was because she didn't understand Supergirl's desire that she refused to reciprocate.

Along of course with the fact that Supergirl was still affected by red kryptonite. Lena thought the effects would have either waned or strengthened by now but neither seemed to be the case. It was simply a part of her now.

Supergirl stood before Lena now, drinking her in, from head to toe, the way she always did. Lena was in one of her burgundy suits. She surmised that Supergirl liked seeing her in shades of red.

"Lena," as a slow seductive smile crossed the kryptonians face.

Lena raised her eyebrow with feigned disinterest, "There are matters we need to discuss."

Supergirl's eyes narrowed as her smile widened, "Yes but now that I'm here I don't feel like they're important."

"Your feelings are irrelevant. We have a city to run. And if you're going to let feelings get in the way of that let me know and we can end this joint venture of ours."

Her threat landed but elicited nothing more than a mocking huff from Supergirl, as if she merely resigned to humor Lena's prickly facade.

"Well if it's business you want to start with Lena, you know of Obsidian North don't you?"

"You ask that as if you aren't talking to a Luthor."

Lena smirked, pleased that she could rattle Supergirl's usual thirst into something different for once. The lines of redk quickly rose up the kryptonian's face as her expression quickly turned to irritation at the name drop. Took a deep breath seemingly trying to get her annoyance under control.

"After all this time, that's still how you see yourself? As a Luthor?"

"That fact never changed Supergirl."

Supergirl's snarled, "Tell me Lena- what Luthor ever did anything close to what you're doing for this city? For humanity?"

Lena was suddenly dumbstruck.

"Lex? Was he helping society when he shot you out of the sky? Or maybe it was Lillian when she fixed you hmmm? Putting you back together with all those bits and pieces of scrap she could find. Maybe she was the greatest Luthor of all."

Lena's eyes widened. Supergirl had never berated her in this way before, stabbing her deeply. Under her lead lined jacket she could feel the kryptonite in her chest ache with pooled, unreleased energy. She wanted to blast Supergirl back to her original reality.

"If that's the case I severely misjudged the situation here Lena. I was operating under the impression that you weren't like them."

"How dare you!" was all Lena could muster saying from her clenched jaw.

Supergirl's brows raised in surprise, "Me? How dare you group yourself with those monsters Lena?"

Lena blinked repeatedly, stunned, feeling as though she'd struck in the face. Her lips quivered and her mind was without response. A kaleidoscope of emotions flooded her. The last time she felt so out of control was when she woke up after Lillian declared that she had been saved.

Supergirl regarded her with pity and for that Lena's shame burned brightest. She turned her back to the resident hero, feeling weak for succumbing to such intense feelings. She was supposed to be stronger than this, she was a Luthor but she didn't want to be at the same time. The Luthor name was something she wielded like armor, armor that was now drowning her down in the sea of tumultuous emotions.

"You might never believe me Lena, but I'll never see you as one of them."

Supergirl was right behind her. Lena could feel her looming above her own hunched shoulders, her body shaking with confusion.

Her heart and mind were at war with each other. Her heart wanted to accept everything Supergirl said, to internalize all the validation she gave Lena so freely and replace the deep self loathing she had with it.

Slowly, long arms surrounded Lena and a solid body pressed itself at the back of the smaller woman. The girl of steel's softness always surprised her. Lena's breath hitched as she felt Supergirl's chin lightly rest on her shoulder, her hot breath on her neck.

"You're nothing like them," her whisper husky and loaded in Lena's ear.

Lena's hands reach up and took hold of Supergirl's forarms that were around her. Her breath grew ragged feeling Supergirl's nose nuzzle behind her ear lobe.

"My Lena is greater than all of them."

A shudder rippled through Lena's body straight down to her curling toes. Heavy eyes rolled back to close and her head nestled onto Supergirl's broad shoulder that was waiting for her. Supergirl mouth lay a path of kisses from Lena's ear, down her exposed neck to her jugular, where she sucked at Lena's roaring pulse. Lena melted in the intoxication, the tender steel embrace held her steady. Every nerve in her body buzzed.

Lips made their way back up to Lena's ear, "You get to decide Lena. You control who you want to be."

Lena's eyes snapped open at the word and her head instantly held its own weight again. Her eroded logic finally found a foothold from where it could resist. Control.

This was a kryptonian she herself infected with red kryptonite who had her own unknown agenda. As good as this felt, this was just a part of it.

Lena entombed her feelings once more and Supergirl sensed the shift, halting her lavish affection and releasing her hold.

"What about Andrea Rojas?" Lena's voice regained a no nonsense tone.

Supergirl sighed in disappointment but picked up the conversation, "We should either invite Obsidian North here or at least acquire their virtual reality technology."

A deep frown set in as she turned around, "What would I do with such frivolous technology?"

"It would help boost morale in National City."

"I didn't think it was low from the job you are doing."

"We could make it higher."

"Let me think about it and I let you know what I decide."

"Of course. Now what is there you wanted to discuss?"

Lena smirked before she strode toward a workbench, "I made a new suit for you."

Supergirl's face lit up in gleeful surprise, not expecting to be presented with a gift. From a box Lena produced what looked like a collar with a finger length of space missing from the circumference.

It was Supergirl's turn to be confused.

"Since you are out there handling big threats, I thought I should provide you with an upgrade. This new suit will offer more all-round protection from most common types of damage you might come into contact with, including but not limited to a built in kryptonite shield. The suit also has the ability to hold a charge of solar energy if you ever need a boost."

"Sold!" Supergirl exclaimed, seemingly impressed with what she had heard.

"Do you want to try it on?"

Supergirl's utterly mischievous smile made its appearance for the first time in this meeting.

"I'd love to."

Like a magician, she pulled a pair of glasses from her cape of all places and slowly put them on.

Lena watched as the suit she was wearing dematerialized. Lena kicked herself angrily as she found her schemes involving Supergirl had a high tendency to backfire.

Supergirl slowly took off the glasses and chucked them aside on the workbench.

Lena couldn't help but gawk at the body displayed before her. Under her suit she wore a black sport bra and a pair of black boy shorts. Objectively she was a perfect specimen of rippling solid muscle juxtaposed with feminine curves.

Supergirl licked her lips and her eyes darkened as she watched Lena watch her; like if it were the first time Lena was seeing her. Supergirl remained quiet and unmoving, not interrupting Lena's thorough appraisal. For the first time Lena's pupils dilated as green eyes found equally blown blue ones. Supergirl moved closer, holding the tension between them. Lena dared not avert her eyes from Supergirl's gaze.

Supergirl huffed a laugh, "You know if you wanted to see under the suit you didn't have to go make a new one. You could have just asked."

Lena's face flushed red at Supergirl's unsubtlety. She didn't trust her voice to supply a witty retort so clamped her jaw shut and remained silent. Supergirl smiled widely at Lena's predicament.

"But it hardly seems fair does it?"

She gathered her blonde hair in her hands, holding it up and offered her neck to Lena.

Lena swallowed but did not hesitate to put the collar around Supergirl's neck. Not once did Supergirl flinch or look away as Lena worked. It fit with the gap of the collar clear along the area of her windpipe.

"It materializes when you touch the two ends. Like this."

With the simple gesture the suit worked as expected and covered her form. Lena stepped back to see her creation.

The fitting suit was snug with some areas thicker than others, providing extra protective support. It caused the alien to have a tankier appearance while not sacrificing comfort or maneuverability.

She maintained the blue but added slivers of red that accentuated the curves of musculature. The red made the light blue accent lines that ran over her muscles a bit redundant in a aesthetic sense, but there was purpose behind it.

"Fits like a glove."

It did indeed. Lena watched Supergirl flex and move in it, testing its pliability. Then her finger came up to to her throat testing how much breathability she had with the band collar of the new suit.

"You always did like choking me Lena. Now I can pretend your hand is always around my neck."

Lena blushed hard again. Supergirl's flirting was so...irritating.

"There's a built in tracking device so I know where you are," Lena stepped over to a computer as she explained additional details, "the suit also monitors your vitals and transmits real time data."

On screen Lena displayed Supergirl's current vitals. Supergirl herself feigned being impressed by it.

"You know these mechanism in place to monitor me almost makes it seems like you don't trust me Lena," the sarcasm lay thick.

Lena gave a sinister smile, "I don't and as you are well aware I never shall."

She input a command and the effects were felt immediately.

Supergirl's heart raced. She could do nothing other than wince in pain as the light blue accent lines on her new suit turned florescent green. Lines of kryptonite blossomed on her skin of her shaking hands. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite an experimental story for me.  
> And there was never a plan for it.  
> But I will finish it. 
> 
> Are there any tags you'd suggest? I feel like i dont have it classed right.


	6. Red Queen's Gambit Accepted

"Send me there."

Myxzptlk raised his brows incredulously at Alex, "Even if I could I...wouldn't."

"We have to get to Kara!"

"Alex even if Myx could send you there would be no way to bring you back. You'd both be stuck there," J'onn tried to reason.

"And what happens if Lena kills her? What happens if Kara dies there?"

A tense silence was the only answer.

Alex closed her eyes in frustration and defeat, slumping to the couch.

"I - I can't lose her."

J'onn was quick to throw his arms around her, "Kara's smart- she'll get through this."

Myxzptlk for the millionth time tried snapping his fingers again but the scene played out regardless. They were just spectators now.

\----

It was perplexing that it actually seemed like Supergirl trusted her. Especially when not a day passed that she wouldn't make her mistrust known. Now today was the day she was about to extract whatever Supergirl's agenda was. She turned up the intensity of the suit's kryptonite to 50%.

More green lines weaved within the alien's flesh as her strength waned. The purity of the built in kryptonite was no less than the one in her own chest- the effect would be just as severe. Supergirl's vitals spiked as she braced herself on the workbench near her, gripping tightly for support, her human strength not able to make any dent in it.

"Still trying to make me scream Lena?" Supergirl asked from her clenched jaw.

Lena raised the intensity to 60%.

"Now once and for all Supergirl you'll tell me what your game is. The lies end here."

"What are you talking about?"

70%.

Supergirl's squeezed her eyes closed as her knees unlocked ready to buckle under the burning.

"You think I wouldn't know? You've been skewing the data. 47 incidents in the last month! Quietly handling the antagonists instead of informing me that we have growing public discontent."

Blue eyes didn't hide the irritated roll as they opened. It cost her another 5% increase.

"Did you really think you could hide anything from me Supergirl?"

"They are insignificant. And I stop them before their message can spread, without causing a scene the way your robots would."

80% and Supergirl groaned loudly, still standing by sheer will alone.

"It was your idea to relax my security measures. That they would conform to your way of handling things. Now I wonder if it was just so you could undermine me."

"No system in the universe is perfectly efficient. There was bound to be a 1% that won't comply."

85%.

Supergirl shut her eyes again, forcing her sagging body to stay upright. Her chin pressed into her chest, her hair obscuring her pained expression.

"Even 1% dissent is failure on your part. Despite your attempts, I will not be made a fool of by you."

At that Supergirl's fingers dug into the workbench she was grasping, her fist closed and the metal crumpled like foil in her hand. Lena tensed at the sudden display of strength even though the kryptonite had not ebbed.

"Is that what you think?" Supergirl questioned in a low, cold, angry tone. The green lines of kryptonite on her face were now joined by red ones.

Lena would not be intimidated, not now. She maxed the intensity to 100%.

Supergirl only growled as she tore the workbench apart in her hand. Her skin covered with red and green lines like Christmas tinsel. Every muscle taut as she shuddered in fury.

"That I would _waste_ my time trying to humiliate you? They defied me! So I cast them out instead of turning them to ash."

From Lena's guess, the red kryptonite was asserting itself, dominating the green. The effects on her brain overriding whatever pain she was feeling. At this intensity Supergirl should be on the floor writhing at her feet. Instead she straightened to her full height and broadened her shoulders.

Lena swallowed, she had miscalculated gravely and didn't yet know the cost.

"You humans....are all the same... ," Supergirl's deep angry voice reverberated, "... greedy. You could have everything that you want and still be unsatisfied."

The lines of red kryptonite surrounded her glowing eyes, white hot with unreleased energy. Her body stilled then rose as she lifted inches off the ground to hover in the air. Supergirl's usual playfulness replaced by a terrifying focused rage. The tension crackled in the air, anxious to be released in detrimental eruption.

"I've paved the road to the future for you. I made the people love you like you were their saviour. I gave myself to you. What else do you want that I haven't given you Lena?"

Lena felt like she was on the edge of annihilation. She paled but did not cower. Supergirl wasn't wrong and the truth that was laid bare made her feel small. That she would never be satisfied even if she got everything she wanted.

It further underscored the cognition that she wasn't discussing things with Supergirl anymore, instead she was being chastised by an angry goddess. The display of power had her wonder why she wasn't vaporized yet and humbled her with the stark realization that she was never in control of Supergirl. The countermeasures she devised against the alien would do nothing more than slow her down or cause minor annoyance. If anything infecting her with red kryptonite inadvertently gave Supergirl more control than she had before. And Lena was more of a fool for not anticipating it, for falling into the Luthor trap of hubris. That she could control a god.

Lena may have thought she was the one in control of the chess pieces, but the truth was she was Supergirl's play thing. Her queen. All that had been accomplished was entirely by Supergirl's design.

They started at each other frozen, Lena looking up at her god unable to respond to anything being said to her and Supergirl was waiting for her.

Lena broke their eye contact with a sigh of defeat and she deactivated the kryptonite. She suddenly found herself unable to look at Supergirl directly, keeping her eyes down. A quiet fear wormed through her thoughts. There would be a price to pay here and she could imagine at least a hundred ways off the top of her head she would carry out punishment if the situation was reversed.

There was an abnormal heat that radiated off of Supergirl, feeling it, Lena could tell she was drawing nearer without having to look up. Her choice in the matter evaporated when a single finger hooked under her chin and forced her to raise her head upward.

Supergirl's flawless features were marred only by the sinister red kryptonite now, the malevolent red lines highlighting the white heat held in her eyes. Lena found herself simultaneously entranced by the face of obliteration before her while she battled the Frankenstein like feeling of disgust having created such a monster.

Supergirl's possessive thumb traced Lena's lips, gently at first, before smearing her dark red lipstick from her mouth spreading it in an arch over her cheek. Lena closed her eyes but couldn't hide her revulsion. So her punishment was to be humiliation.

Supergirl's hand reached back behind her head, her fingers weaving their way through her hair. Softly as she always did, Supergirl lowered her lips onto Lena's and kissed her. It was slow, restrained and not hungry as she usually did. More as if she were asking a question than taking what she wanted.

She could feel Supergirl lower onto the ground again as she cupped Lena's face in both her hands. Opening her eyes, she saw the red kryptonite recede. Lena clenched her jaw shut harder.

Why was Supergirl so confusing? Was she really doing all of this for her?

Supergirl did not draw out her affection and disengaged but rested her on forehead on Lena's. She stayed that way breathing deeply as if she were catching her breath. Centreing herself. Then she let go of Lena completely.

Stepping back, Lena could see her face clear of the red kryptonite and a pair of sad blue eyes staring back. Her disappointment clear.

"I want you to be be happy Lena."

Lena only fell further into confusion.

"Because...you deserve it. But I realize that in your mind that reality simply may not exist for you."

Supergirl sighed sadly, "And if that's the case then there is nothing that I can possibly do that will make you happy. You have to want it too." With a lopsided smile she recalled, "Luthor's are masters of their own fates was it?"

The more Supergirl spoke about her feelings the more bewildered Lena's mind became. She was a scientist. She lived in realm of tangible data, nothing as obscure as emotions. Brainiac 5 was always someone who appreciated the disruptive nature of emotions.

In a way it was the perfect tactic. Throw her off balance with the one thing she had no real management over- the human part of her that she locked away so she could become what she is now. And this, all-powerful superhero was trying to storm the prison gates with a sledgehammer.

The only semblance of control she could muster now was to remove herself from the equation all together. Disassociate. Although she didn't trust her voice to be unwavering she needed to speak her thoughts into the ether.

"Your reality's Lena must be pretty special if you care for her so much."

Supergirl frowned not angrily but contemplatively, considering what she was hearing. She didn't think too long before she stepped forward and wrapped around Lena in an all encompassing hug.

It wasn't demanding or seductive...just warm. Comforting. Safe. Lena really did try her hardest to resist and kept her arms to herself as long as she could. But Supergirl was a just brute hurling herself into Lena's vaulted door to her emotions and it was bending from the strain. Lena melted slowly as Supergirl held her; her own arms coming up and around in reciprocation. At that Supergirl only held tighter.

"Lena is Lena. She's special in very reality. And I will always love her with every part of me no matter what, even if she doesn't think that I do. I will always be there for her."

Something was breaking inside of Lena. She even wasn't sure what it was. She felt her eyes water.

With Supergirl clinging to her, Lena didn't notice the lattice of red kryptonite flicker across the alien's face.

"Thank you for the new suit Lena."

Lena frowned as she was filled with a sudden embarrassment of sorts. She extracted herself from the embrace to search for sarcasm in Supergirl's gratitude, only to find a small, sheepish smile.

"I'm sor- you don't have to wear it."

"I want to Lena. You made this for me and I want you to be part of me." Supergirl's smile widened, "I just wish I could do something to thank you."

Before Lena could resolve this new confusion Supergirl found an answer that simply added more chaos.

"I know- we can go have breakfast together! We can show everyone the new look!"

"...what?"  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now idk if that would happen Supers are exposed to 2 types of kryptonite simultaneously
> 
> ...but that's what i decided for the sake of this story since i imagined/assumed one form of kryptonite simply had to have greater effect than other


	7. The Business Between Sticky Buns

To say what was happening was absurd would be such an egregious understatement that would render the description of the situation utterly erroneous. 

It was actually more surreal than anything else.

There was cafe where they could have breakfast that wasn't too far from LCorp. Lena knew of it, that isn't to say she ever went. On Supergirl's suggestion (or rather on her instruction as they were to Lena now) they took the scenic route to the eatery, walking a the few blocks to the eatery. 

It was just before rush hour but Supergirl was in no hurry. With Lena literally on her arm she cruised proudly through the streets of National City in her brand new regalia with a warm unwavering smile on her face. Like if she were on top of the world. Their random yet casual public appearance caused quite a disruptive commotion for the general public who just wanted to get to work. 

Used to the attention Supergirl continued on unconcerned that all the eyes of National City was on her. Lena, on the other hand, who would have preferred to be discreet felt every pupil that bore into her. She had nothing to fear from the public, especially not with a much more tanky, intimidating looking Supergirl leading the way. Still she felt out of place. Unwanted. Waiting to be publicly shunned and humiliated.

Yet at the same time, the truth was this display was already humiliating. Lena burned within herself as she was so obviously being paraded around like a trophy by Supergirl. To everyone else, once she played along, they were both just the resident power couple taking a stroll.

"Hey, you ok?" Supergirl leaned toward her to inquire. 

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" 

"You seem tense."

"Has it occurred to you that I'm always tense?" 

"Well you shouldn't be. You're on top of the world."

Lena tilted her head, "That's easy to say but it requires actual effort to stay there."

Supergirl smiled and leaned into her ear to whisper, "Not as much when you have me."

Supergirl stopped at the cafe door and opened the door for Lena to enter first before following inside. There the duo was greeted with a hush and shocked eyes staring at them. 

Supergirl's eyes squinted as she smiled widely, "Top of the morning to you all." 

Lena grimaced pinching the bridge of her nose and unsure if she should be ashamed or just annoyed. 

A nervous waitress came up to them. 

"Supergirl and...Lena Luthor... Uh I'm sorry- Hello can I help you?" 

"Hi Ashley..."

"How- how to you know my name?" the woman asked slack jawed. 

"She read your name tag," Lena replied dryly.

The anxious girl snapped her eyes onto Lena's greens and stood frozen. Ashley was clearly having a moment in her relatively average life. But so was Lena. She had never really interacted with another human being since she killed Lex, not that you could call Luthors human beings. As they held the stare the girl gradually, visiblly relaxed somehow, surprisingly unafraid.

"Yes Ashley we thought we'd drop into Noonan's for breakfast. Can we have a table?" Supergirl interjected. 

The girl's jitters returned, "Oh yes, right, of course, this way Supergirl."

Curious Lena thought, as they were both guided to and empty sofa booth. While everyone wanted access to Lena Luthor, Supergirl was clearly still the main attraction. 

They took their place in the middle of the circular sofa booth, with Supergirl draping her legs over the extra room, taking up as much space as she could on her side. 

"Do you need a minute before you order?" 

"No Ashley, I know what I want. I'd like to have 2 bacon and cheese omlettes, 5 chocolate chip pancakes, 1 order of chicken waffles, 3 sticky buns and a pumpkin spiced latte with extra foam." Supergirl smiled and the end of her order then turned to Lena, "What are you having?" 

"Coffee, black." 

"Coming right up," as the waitress hurried away. 

Supergirl casually stretched her arm on the furniture behind Lena like a possessive jock. She leaned closer, "This is nice. We should do this more often Lena."

"I don't think it would be feasible."

"Why not?" 

As if to respond, a chirp sounded from her jacket pocket. Supergirl watched with interest as Lena retrieved what looked like one side of a hand gripper, until it lit up with a holographic display. 

"That's fancy."

"There's an unidentified object that will enter earth's orbit in about 30 minutes. It's moving incredibly fast, unnaturally so."

"Space rock or space ship?" 

"Uncertain."

"Where's it headed?" 

"Current trajectory indicates that it should land 500km east of National City's factory district."

"Well get your robots to see about it, I just want to enjoy breakfast with you."

Lena flinched, having to follow instructions was aggravating to say the least. She forced her abhorrence back as far as she could, resigning to the fact that Supergirl was in charge of things. _For now_. 

Twenty minutes later Supergirl was almost finished wolfing down her breakfast. She ordered a chocolate milkshake to finish off all the food she'd ordered. It was truly quite a surprising display of gluttony to Lena and at the same time she couldn't stop watching the consumption. 

"Do you want one of my sticky buns... _Lena_?" Supergirl bit her bottom lip hopefully, her voice full of sly innuendo. 

"No," Lena sighed deeply. 

"Your loss," Supergirl smirked before she picked up a bun with her fingers and took a bite out of it. She set it back gingerly on the plate then began licking the residual sweetness off each of her fingers. When she got to her thumb she took her time, putting the digit in her mouth and sucking it off.

Lena didn't dare avert her eyes from the hungry blues. Supergirl's...flirtation was incessant. 

Lena was beginning to see that this was just another part of Supergirl's playbook, elicit a reaction from her as much as she could. It didn't even matter if it was a positive or negative reaction, she would take either. That's how she was getting under her skin. 

Her thumb came out with a wet _pop_ , "Are you sure?" as the smirk reappeared slowly. 

Lena opened her mouth to reply when she was interrupted by the arrival of a redhead dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket who took a seat beside her.

"Oh look there's a sticky bun for all of us. How thoughtful of you Supergirl."

The flippant woman did not hesitate for a moment as she helped herself to one of the pastries.

Lena's eyebrow was arched high, unable to conceal her amusement at the woman's impertinent behaviour. Or maybe it was simply the livid expression Supergirl had that she found funny.

Mid chew the woman gestured back and forth between herself and Lena, "Well- aren't you going to introduce us?" 

Supergirl's eyes narrowed to slits. 

"Lena this is Alex Danvers- I suppose you could say she is the person currently running the DEO, if it still is in operation at all."

Alex smiled at Lena while she waved her sticky bun in the air, "Nice to finally meet you Lena."

Lena straightened, glaring at Supergirl who only let out a satisfied huff at the tit for tat between them. 

Her focus shifted to Alex Danvers who remained calm under their scrutiny. Unbothered by who they were. Defiant. Like the rest of those superheroes who resisted her. She currently held a significant cache of assets at the DEO. Lena herself would like to retrieve them but Supergirl seemed confident that they would not use them in retaliation, an assertion that held true thus far. 

Still Lena had to accept that this woman was highly capable, having evaded capture for so long and even recapturing Brainiac 5. 

"Long time no see Supergirl," as Alex swallowed the last of her stolen bun. 

Supergirl sneered, "Is there something that you needed? Or did you just want to disrupt my breakfast?" 

"I just wanted to say hey and I love what you've been doing." The woman lowered her voice and leaned in mockingly, "I know I had my doubts when you first told me the plan but seeing you both here- wow. You really got Lena Luthor under control."

This woman had the conviction of a suicide bomber. 

She knowingly came here to cause disruption between herself and Supergirl. And as far as Lena was concerned she was already successful in her endeavour. This Alex Danvers unraveled the loom of power in a sentence. Supergirl was always quick to give Lena the illusion that she was in control of everything and now the smoke cleared instantly and the mirrors shattered. 

Behind Lena's eyes, rage burned. She knew Supergirl was just manipulating her and now the truth was laid bare. It was a truth she could not tolerate. 

"I mean if I knew she was going to be this easy I would have asked you to do this years ago."

A sudden bang quieted the cafe and a fist size hole was now apart of the table where Supergirl's hand pounded through. 

The white glow of Supergirl's eyes stared back at Alex who held her breath as she straightened herself in terror. Not at the certain death of the alien's heat vision but at the entanglement of red lines across her face. 

The shaken redhead turned to the unsurprised Luthor, the connections forming at lightning speed. 

"Y-you did this. You infected her with red kryptonite. That's how you got her to side with you."

Lena's breath hitched this time, Supergirl's white hot orbs fell on her. This Alex Danvers was dangerous to the bone. 

Supergirl's jaw clenched. The goddess would not tolerate being manipulated either, even if Lena's attempt was not equally successful.

Lines between enemies and allies became blurred among the three. 

"Do you realize what you've done Luthor?" 

"Enough," Supergirl bellowed as she rose menacingly to her feet. There was little patience for anyone to speak to Lena that way. Lena was hers. Despite what was being revealed here that much remained constant. 

Alex's eyes pleaded with her voice, "This isn't you. Please Kara-" 

Supergirl's arm shot across the table and grasped Alex's jaw shut, the threat of her face being ripped in two in very real. 

"It's _Supergirl_."

A chirp interrupted the tension. Lena powered up the holographic display of her handheld device. 

"The object crash landed and took out the Hope Robots that were sent to intercept. It's now moving towards the city."

Alex's phone now began ringing. The glow in Supergirl's eyes dissipated but the red krypton lines remained as she let go of the woman's face with a push.

"Answer it Alex." 

After flexing her jaw and a moment to regain her composure, the instruction was followed. All the while Alex never broke eye contact with Supergirl. 

"Danvers...are you able to identify it? Yes I heard...I'm with her now...It doesn't matter- I'm coming in."

Alex hung up, "It's an alien leaving a path of destruction into the city. Unidentified species. J'onn and Mon El are already on route to try and stop it. They might need your help Supergirl."

"Of course they need me. Everyone does. Your very continued existence depends on me."

The web of red kryptonite snaked around her eyes. She casually took up her unfinished sticky bun and finished it in three bites. 

"We'll finish our chat when I get back," Supergirl said with an edge of finality in her voice as she look between the both sitting women. 

A gust ruffled everyone and everything inside when Supergirl flew out of Noonan's in a blur. 

Lena sat quietly with Alex, watching her catch her breath and process the new information. Then Lena took up the cutlery and began eating the final sticky bun. It was sickeningly sweet and addictive at the same time. 

"Why don't you stay a while Ms. Danvers? I believe we can help each other." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pastry seduction ftw.
> 
> In this house Alex Danvers is a badass that will burn the same house down if that what she wants.
> 
> Also guess what's coming to town.


	8. Between the Devil and Doomsday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thumbs up to those who guessed correctly what crashed.

"Oh no," Myxzptlk whimpered, "Doomsday."

"What the hell does that mean?" Alex demanded. 

"You don't have that here yet? No? Doomsday- an unstoppable monster created for the sole purpose of destruction." 

Alex paled and tears of utter helplessness formed in her eyes. J'onn held onto her tighter, his own worry now apparent as well. 

"No no no, don't worry. I'm sure if anyone can beat it it's Kara."

\---

One of the Hope Robots remained just out of range of the battle feeding real time footage back to Lena.

Thus far all 25 of her bots that had engaged the creature were now just piles of scrap metal that littered the ground. The monstrous gray beast was a hulking twelve feet with armor-like bone projections on its body. 

It was tearing through factories on a beeline towards the city. Hope Robots could do nothing more now than evacuate people and get them to safety as fast as possible. They needed the big gun to stop this monster. 

That big gun would not be in the form of Mon El who was swatted away like a fly on first approach. Though obviously injured he kept annoying the monster while the green martian tried his best to stop the beast. The martian was fairing slightly better, his phasing ability allowed him to evade most of incoming damage. 

Their combined efforts only managed to slow their foe down. Up until he clapped his hands together sending a shockwave their direction, the force of it pushing them out of the way and into the dirt. 

Supergirl watched them from above not intervening. Lena surmised that she was observing the creature planning out an attack. That or she was refusing to help because at the end she wanted it to be her own total victory. When the creature was a significant distance away from the other heroes she began her assault. 

Supergirl turned downwards and crashed into the monster at full speed. It didn't have time to evade her.

A deep crater formed around them with all other man made structures nearby being obliterated from the shockwave. Supergirl's fist was buried in the monster's face, but it wasn't pulverized like everything else around them. 

The monster growled loudly before it's giant fist hit her torso, sending Supergirl flying, her entire body depressed into the crater wall. Her eyes opened to the fist crashing into her body again and again then straight to her face. Blood trickled from her head down her forehead and down to her eye. 

As the next of the monster's strike was about to land she caught it in her palm, the force making her go deeper into the crater wall. From there she pushed off, tackling the monster to the ground, punching multiple times. 

The crater now their own arena where they exchanged blows. With the immediate vicinity cleared of civilians Hope Robots surrounded the fighters along with Mon El and the Martian to spectate the gladiatorial showdown. 

One might be tempted to say that the both evenly matched, but there was a enormous gap between them. The monster seemed barely affected by each of Supergirl's thunderous hits but the girl of steel was showing wear and tear each blow she received. Even her new suit was becoming torn and lacerations where peppered over her body. The longer the fight continued the less likely she would come out on top. 

An uppercut to the monster's solar plexus sent the monster careening skyward. Brimming with confidence, Supergirl flew after it, her arm drawn back hoping to deliver the final blow. 

The monsters both fists slammed down on her sending her crashing back to earth. 

It's feet drilled her further into the ground as it landed on her. It stomped on her several more times until Supergirl was unresponsive. 

The green martian and Mon El engaged the creature again but they we were swatted away without much effort. 

The monster picked Supergirl up by the face and pitched her away, her battered body crashed backwards into several walls, finally smashing into machinery that combusted on impact. 

The monster growled, assuming it got rid of the hindrance and leap towards the city to continue it's destruction. 

Supergirl wasn't dead but her vital signs were weak. From LCorp, Lena remotely accessed the badly damaged suit and released whatever solar energy was stored in an effort to revive the kryptonian. She never got a chance to really test the functionality but at this time she just had to trust her own prowess. 

That was all Lena could do for her. 

Lena flew out of LCorp in her own power suit, a squadron of Hope Robots with her (the other half were ensuring public safety as best as they could). They were going to intercept this monster and get rid of it before it could destroy the city. Her city. It was hers to defend Supergirl or not. She promised the people to protect them from harm. 

And she had a plan.

But plans hardly count for anything when you live in a universe where aliens drop out of the sky and begin rampages. 

Out of no where the creature collided mid air with the squadron of robots turning about a dozen of them into junk in one swipe. 

It shouldn't be here that fast. 

20 Hope Robots descended upon the monster at once in an effort to restrain it. The machines piled onto it holding it so Lena could get in range. 

It threw out it's arm, the force flinging some of the robots into a building. With the free arm it turned the rest into more scrap metal before Lena could even come close. With the last robot crushed in it's hand, the monster pitched it directly at Lena. 

Lena's brain determined the outcome instantaneously. The throw was so forceful, she knew the projectile would take her out the moment it left the creature's hand. She watched in slow motion as it came toward her, her basic human reaction speed could do nothing to evade it. 

Suddenly she was standing on the roof of a nearby building. Strong arms released her.

"Are you hurt? Lena? Answer me!" Supergirl shouted at her. 

Supergirl saved her. How? Why? 

"Lena!"

"I'm fine."

Supergirl inspected her from head to toe undoubtedly with her xray vision.

Supergirl's new suit was tattered showing off bruised or lacerated skin. Blood was all about her body. Normally the sight of Supergirl's current brutalized state would be undeniably disturbing to anyone. But the blood along with the red kryptonite that seeped into the whites of her eyes, Supergirl was looking downright sinister. 

Lena had initially thought of the showdown to be akin to a god versus a titan. Now it was more like they summoned a demon to fight off a monster. 

"I can generate a portal and you throw it into space," Lena managed to blurt out. 

"I'm here now Lena. I'll take care of it. Just stay safe."

"You can't win."

That only angered Supergirl who stepped away. 

"Watch me."

"No don't!" 

As Lena stepped to the edge of the building Supergirl already barreled into the monster's back sending it flying miles down the city street. It's body bounced a few times like a stone skipping along water, rolling to a stop. It grabbed onto a car to help itself stand, righting itself as Supergirl made a second approach. 

As her fist was about to connect once more, the monster smashed her midair in a sandwich of two cars. It halted her momentum immediately. It flung the vehicles aside and Supergirl dropped once more. 

Lena felt her blood run cold as she watched the monster pick Supergirl's limp form up by the cape. Holding her up at eye level the monster drew it's arm back to deliver a death blow. 

"Supergirl!" Lena screamed from the roof top. She took to the air but she'd never make it in time to stop it. 

Not like she even could.

White hot eyes flung open, with red veiny lines plastered over the heat. As the fist began coming toward her Supergirl blew ice breath at it. Ice formed over the monster's arm slowing the movement. She continued over the rest of the gray mass until it was encased in ice save for it's head and the arm that was holding her up. 

The monster growled. The ice already began cracking. It would not hold the creature for long. But for Supergirl it was long enough. 

Eye level with the monster, a precision blast of heat vision erupted from her eyes and bore into the bony supra orbital notches of the monster. She only stopped when the grip on her cape was released and she hovered on her own accord. 

Then gravity took the reigns, assisting in freeing the behemoth of the ice prison, allowing it to fall to it's knees. 

There it remained. Unmoving and unresponsive. 

The fight was over. 

Supergirl hovered above the defeafed. 

Lena approached cautiously from behind not wanting to startle the conqueror. 

"You lobotomized it..."

Supergirl slowly turned around to face Lena. Her eyes still white with heat, the lattice of red kryptonite over them and over her skin. She stared at Lena silently, waiting. Waiting for a reaction. 

Lena offered none. 

"Can you still open a portal to space?" her tone low, cold and laced with slivers of vindictiveness. 

"Yes," without even waiting for the instruction Lena began fiddling with a device in her gauntlet. Within a minute a purple wormhole formed. 

"Good."

Lena assumed the monster was about to be tossed into the vast expanse. She was ill prepared for the barbarity that happened. 

Supergirl gripped the monster's neck in one hand and dug her fingers of the other hand into the monster's clavicle. Then pulled. 

All the muscles of her back and arms flexed. The tendons in her neck were taut with strain. The blood vessels in her neck bulged from the overclocking. All under the web of the red kryptonite. 

A groan tore from her clenched jaw, baring her teeth. Then a blood curdling scream pierced the air as the gray flesh gave way under the force. The purple life blood was thankfully sticky and did not splatter everywhere. 

Lena's lips quivered in horror. She was dangerously close to emptying her stomach contents. 

Supergirl panted for a moment, holding two uneven pieces of the monster in each hand. Floating closer to the portal she casually tossed the smaller part of the creature into space. 

"You can close it now."

Lena blinked in confusion, "You're keeping the head?" 

Supergirl smirked slyly peering at Lena.

"Would you like to have it _Lena_?" Supergirl held out the other ripped part of the monster's body to Lena, her hand clenched tightly on the creature's neck. 

"No," Lena swallowed. 

At that moment Lena checked herself. She shouldn't be questioning Supergirl. She quickly complied with the previous instruction and shut the portal down. 

"Where is the nearest phantom zone projector?" 

It made sense now, as much as any of this unnecessary brutality could make sense. 

Supergirl tore the monster in two and was separating the two parts so they couldn't be rejoined. If it could regenerate it's body was a different matter entirely. 

"There should be one at the DEO."

"Contact _your new friend_ Alex. Tell her to pull it out of storage. I'll be with her in three minutes."

Without a second glance Supergirl flew off with the remains of her fallen enemy in hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if fights are my forte. You'll let me know what you think of it.
> 
> I've mashed up a couple of different handlings from dc animations and comics of Doomsday. Those who know will know.


	9. Submission

A battle marred Supergirl touched down at the DEO in exactly three minutes along with the remains of her fallen enemy. 

Her eyes remained white hot and the lines of red kryptonite had not abated. She moved slowly and deliberately, taking her time. Giving her former friends enough time to process exactly what she had done. Illustrating what Supergirl was capable of doing.

Alex and Winn received her, to say they were on edge was putting it mildly. Winn obviously more nervous than Alex. 

"J'onn and Mon El not back yet?" Supergirl searching for there presence. Or maybe for an ambush. 

"No they are still helping people who were trapped in some rubble downtown."

An unimpressed expression crossed Supergirl's red veined skin. 

"Is the projector ready?" 

"Uh yea, yes. Right this way Kar- I mean Supergirl," Winn stammered, leading the way. The sticky purple oozed out of the the monster's body staining the floor it was dragged over. 

"We set it up in a training room," Alex explained trying to remain calm and casual despite her tension. 

There Brainiac 5 was indeed making sure the phantom zone projector was ready to go. He worked under the watchful eye of Nia who was in her Dreamer costume. Nia gasped as she saw redk Supergirl for the first time. 

Brainy straightened, "Supergirl...everything is prepared for you."

A satisfied smile crossed Supergirl's face, "Very efficient of you Brainy."

"Thank you- now if you will," he gestured for her towards it. 

The room remained uneasy as all parties were on their best behaviour, no one wanting to stir up trouble in the slightest. Brainy powered up the projector and Supergirl dispatched the rest of the carcass into timeless oblivion. 

Everyone let out of small sigh of relief.

They gotten rid of the monster but the bigger problem remained. 

"You're hurt Supergirl, why don't you come with me to the med bay," Alex suggested as calmly as she could. 

The white glowing eyes met Alex's, it was like starting directly at the sun. The eyes of an irritated sun that was ready to go supernova for the simple suggestion. 

"There are sunlamps here Supergirl at the DEO- you can rest a moment and recover your strength," the husky voice of Lena interrupted whatever Supergirl was going to say. 

Supergirl's jaw flexed, the white heat of her eyes on Lena now. 

They were all playing a risky game to assume they could advise Supergirl of what to do. 

Out of her own power suit, Lena stepped into the room going straight to Supergirl, not breaking eye contact for a single moment. When she was close enough, Lena slowly brought her knuckles to touch the back of Supergirl's hand. 

Supergirl visibly relaxed- she wasn't expecting that. 

Lena needed to be tactful. 

Keeping in mind her place and resisting the urge to be too bold she gave a small smiled and proceeded. Her pinky finger hooked onto Supergirl's own little finger. 

The white hot eyes immediately drained to reveal the darkened blue pools underneath.

Lena flashed her own smirk. Wordlessly she turned to the door and tugged on Supergirl's finger. Ignoring everyone else in the room she marched confidently out with Supergirl in tow, leaving the former vigilantes bewildered. 

Lena had essentially thrown caution to the wind, creating this all or nothing situation. After a month of resistance, she was about to finally yield to Supergirl. She would have probably laughed if anyone ever previously proposed such a strategy to her but in surrendering she hoped to regain control. 

Supergirl closed the door to the clean room behind them and Lena ushered her to the bed.

"I'll activate the sun lamps. Why don't you lie down?" 

Lena unhooked her finger from Supergirl's so she could complete the task, only to have her hand caught, stopped by Supergirl. The hold was firm but gentle, typical of their interactions. 

"Are you going to join me?" 

Lena snickered in her breath, "Well I would- but you're filthy." Then slipped her hand away to power on the sun lamps. Supergirl beamed with delight and all the red kryptonite withdrew from her face. 

"Are you offering to give me a bath first then?" 

Lena smirked playfully, "That's not a bad idea for later. But while we're here, we may have to improvise. Sit."

"You're so bossy," Supergirl pouted as she complied, taking a seat on the opposite side of the sun lamps, back to the door. From her perch, hooded eyes gazed at Lena in the same burgundy suit she was wearing, as she collected various items from the room. 

Lena could feel herself being observed as she moved. Objectified. By a god.

With her items prepared, she wheeled the metalic table she placed them on, parking it next to Supergirl's knee. 

Supergirl straightened her spine and squared her shoulders readying herself for Lena's attention. 

"Alright hands first."

With a saline soaked piece of gauze, Lena began scrubbing the purple muck off each of Supergirl's hands. She did it with the clinical precision and thoroughness one would expect from Lena. When satisfied with the level of cleanliness, she discarded the used gauze. 

Lena dipped another piece of gauze in the bowl of saline, squeezed out the excess and wordless placed herself directly between Supergirl legs. Supergirl raised her eyebrow in surprise however she spread her knees wider to accommodate Lena closer. 

And go closer Lena did. Till she was right up against the bed leaving just a small space between them. 

With guaze in hand she began wiping away the dried blood and grime off Supergirl's face, starting at her forehead. Lena remained entirely focused on her task while full aware that Supergirl was fully focused on her. 

Supergirl's breathing remained steady, sitting unmoving and expressionless, as if she were a marble sculpture being attended to. 

The wandering thoughts at the back of Lena's mind considered what if Supergirl stopped flirting because she was afraid she would disrupt whatever Lena was doing. It was the first time Lena had shown this much attention to her. Or conversely if she were waiting patiently for the other shoe to drop before Supergirl turned her to ash. 

Lena continued tenderly downward, from brow, to eye lid and down passed the cheekbone where the blood trail ended. Lena's view slipped sideways, caressing Supergirl's lips with her green eyes. She lingered there until her eyes could not resist snapping upward and diving into the dark blues gazing back at her. 

The girl of steel maintained her stillness. Even as Lena brought her other hand up to trace the goddess' lips with her thumb. 

People dreamed of having this kind of power at their fingertips. Supergirl could turn this planet into a memory if she wanted to. With that thought Lena was suddenly awestruck at what she was doing, of what she was allowed to do. 

She brought her lips a whisper way from Supergirl's, waiting for them to be claimed the way they usually were. 

If her heart hadn't been replaced by kryptonite Lena was sure it would be pounding so loudly you wouldn't need super hearing to know. 

Supergirl was not going to force her to surrender. Lena's submission had to be given. 

She teased Supergirl's lips with her tongue attempting to draw her into a kiss but goddess was unrelenting in her immobility, forcing Lena to do the work. So Lena did, diving in, crushing her lips onto the unmoving ones. 

Frustration built within her as her affection was not reciprocated in the slightest. Lena wondered if Supergirl was similarly irritated when she was being equally non responsive. The difference between them though was painfully obvious. Supergirl always took from Lena, on the other hand Lena was here banging on the door begging to be let in.

She opened her eyes to see emotionless cobalt blues taking her in. 

Lena stopped and withdrew, suddenly embarrassed. 

"Hmmm."

The blood drained from Lena's already pale face. She felt like she had been caught doing something illegal. Supergirl lightly swung her dangling feet much like a child would. 

"So, you are just distracting me then? Till what? Till Alex comes up a way to contain me?" 

"There's nothing here that could hold you."

"We literally just used a phantom zone projector."

"I wouldn't allow that to happen."

"I wouldn't put it passed you Lena. You've made it very clear that you don't trust me," Supergirl smiled cynically. 

"The city only thrives with you in it. It's safer with you here. I'd be a fool to let anyone disrupt it's stability in that way."

"You'd also be a fool if you thought you could get my sister to stop me on your behalf. But you aren't a fool now are you Lena."

Lena's eyes widened, "Alex Danvers is your sister?" 

" _Adopted sister_ , yes. So whatever you both were planning, tell me if you think it's still going to work."

Lena frowned deeply, hurt clear in her voice, "That's what you think I'm doing? The moment I decide to give myself to you, you decide that you can't trust me."

"And why would you do such a thing now Lena? I don't see what's changed between us in a few hours."

"You saved me," huge tears formed in Lena's eyes. 

"I'm sure your suit would have soaked up the damage," Supergirl scoffed. 

"No...don't be so dismissive. You saved me. No one has ever done that before. Time after time for my entire life. Finally it happened."

Lena swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Her unexamined emotions suddenly unboxed themselves, rising up like the undead. 

"After years of living with the Luthors I'd hope that someone would rescue me from their torment. Nothing. I had to save myself. Then I came to National City to get a fresh start and they struck again. And that time, I couldn't save myself until they had already done their damage to me. I've always had to look over my shoulder and people just don't know how exhausting it is."

Lena licked her dry lips. 

"You don't know how much lighter existing feels knowing there is someone who will always be there for you. You've been doing that for a month now. And I kept taking it for granted. I'm sorry it took this long for me to acknowledge that." 

With the prevailing silence, Lena couldn't help feel as if she had placed her metaphorical heart on the scale and Anubis was now weighing it against a feather. There was an anxiety in waiting, as she knew her heart was heavy and the chance of oblivion high. 

Supergirl sighed loudly and Lena looked way in dejection. 

"I'd hug you Lena but I'm filthy." 

Lena's glistening eyes widened as they lit up like Christmas morning. She practically threw herself into Supergirl and held on tightly. 

"No I'm serious! Don't get your suit dirty this is one of my favourites!" 

Lena let out a relieved laugh, letting go and stepping back from Supergirl for a moment. 

"I think I have a work around for that."

Her hands went up to the collar of the new suit, contacting the points on it to dematerialize the dirty, tattered costume. Lena's green eyes dilated again for the day at the sight of the mostly naked Supergirl who sat patiently before her.

"You won't have this naked advantage over me forever Lena."

Lena went a step further removing the collar from her neck and discarded it.

"I'll make you a better suit later."

Supergirl's smile returned. She stretched out her bare, long legs and hooked them around Lena's drawing her as close as possible. Then gave Lena what she wanted. Her muscular arms gently wrapped around Lena's body. 

Lena dissolved immediately into the warmth. Her own hands finding the ridges of muscle of Supergirl's back. 

She almost felt like she could stay there forever. 

Until Supergirl pulled back to speak, keeping Lena between her thighs. 

"And I would like to suggest that you get some kissing practice."

Lena raised her eyebrow, "Are you saying I'm not good?" 

"I just saying that it could be better if you put some feeling into it," Supergirl teased, "like so."

The kiss started off slow and soft like it always did. Reassuring. Inviting. Supergirl's hands went down Lena's sides to rest on the small of her back. Beckoning her to drink more from the fountain. 

Just as Lena's thirst reached the summit Supergirl pulled away, leaving Lena wanting more. 

"I see. Well, I'll certainly have to practice that."

Supergirl smiled widely, "I will be more than happy to be experimented upon in that manner." 

Lena's smile was full of her own mischief as her eyes darkened. 

"Why don't I show you what is currently available."

With her body entangled in Supergirl's limbs Lena traced the goddess' uncovered clavicle from shoulder to neck. Her hand came to rest at the base of Supergirl's throat. The suggestion alone of what was to come caused the irises within the blue pools to become blown. 

On the opposite side Lena laid soft kisses on the bare collar bone, her hot mouth going up Supergirl's craned neck. At the small of her back she could feel strong fingers pressing into her and the vice like tightening of thighs around her own. Trapped in the need of a python that could crush her the moment control of strength was abandoned. 

Lena had reached the point no return. 

The fingers of her free hand went back and forth, raking then ghosting Supergirl's abdomen. 

"You better stop your teasing," Supergirl rasped in her ear. 

Lena pulled back to see lustful heavy lids of Supergirl, restraining the hunger within. Barely able to hold back the impulse to devour. 

Lena would have never really thought of herself as someone who be involved in edge play but here she was, living on a Hail Mary at the outer edge of safety and sanity. 

"Let me stoke the fire then," Lena brought her free hand up and pulled open her jacket exposing the kryptonite in her chest. 

Her hand instantly tightened around Supergirl's throat as the green kryptonite flushed throughout her body. 

Engulfed by the sensations Supergirl didn't register the door opening behind her and was far less capable of evading the blast that hit her square in the back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please keep your activities safe sane and consensual 😜


	10. Taking Control of the Chess Board

All the muscles of the python contracted, threatening to crush her, if she hadn't weakened it first. 

Green kryptonite tendrils covered the skin on every inch of her exposed body. With her eyes squeezed shut, pained groans gurgled out of Supergirl, who continued to spasm even after Alex stopped shooting her. A red mist diffused out of her very pores which in turn dissipated in the air. 

A final shudder raced through Supergirl's entire form before her body slumped into unconsciousness. The limp body of the girl of steel, who was clad only in her undergarments, held up at the neck by Lena Luthor. An alarming sight to Supergirl's sister to be sure. 

"Let her go right now!" Alex barked, throwing aside the bulky energy weapon she used against Supergirl and drew her side arm to point at Lena. 

Lena eased the body down on the bed, then turned away quickly to button her jacket in order to shield the green kryptonite from the alien. 

Alex holstered her side arm so she could attend to her sister. 

"It's gonna be alright now Kara."

"How can we be sure of that?" 

"What?" 

"How can you be sure it worked?" 

"Cuz worked last time."

"Did red kryptonite saturate her brain for a month last time?" 

Alex pulled Supergirl's feet onto the bed and flipped her onto her back. 

"Geez I didn't think you'd get her naked."

"There was a high probability that the suit she was wearing would have shielded her from the blast. Then we both would have been in some serious trouble."

Alex grimaced at the thought, "There should be something for her to wear in here."

Casually putting her hand in her suit pocket, Lena produced the glasses Supergirl had left in her lab. 

"Do you know how this works?" 

"It's a microscopic motion activator," Brainiac 5 answered as he cautiously walked into the room, "only Supergirl would be able to activate it."

Lena's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him. He's was unaligned once more Lena could see the transparent emotions on his face. His uncertainty that came with emotion. She probably had the same appearance. 

He took the spectacles, inspecting in for a moment then placed them on Supergirl's face, "But I should be able to trigger it remotely."

With a light touch of his finger to the left hinge Brainiac 5 closed his eyes and when he opened them Supergirl's old suit began materializing. 

"Good work," Alex praised swiping the pair of glasses for safe keeping. 

"Truthfully, with all that you were saying to Supergirl we doubted you would actually still be on board with this," Brainiac questioned. 

Lena frowned deeply, "The best deception comes laced in truth."

Lena averted her stare to Supergirl's unconscious form as the duo considered her words. If she were being totally honest with herself it was all true, otherwise Supergirl would have seen right through her then would blast two neat holes in her skull. 

But after all of this morning's happenings taken under consideration, a red kryptonite Supergirl was just too dangerous to be allowed to continue to exist.

Lena's biggest leap of faith actually surprisingly paid off. It was agreed earlier at Noonan's that Supergirl needed to be stopped, though they weren't quite sure how they were going to make it happen. If Alex hadn't seized the opportunity here Lena would have finished what she started. She would have made herself enjoy it, somehow. Then together, she and Supergirl would have made National City a utopia, even if it were done on Supergirl's whims. 

Lena exhaled deeply, destroying the dream...was painful. 

"How do we determine if Supergirl is entirely purged from the red kryponite?" 

"We'll assess when she wakes up."

"You can't be serious Ms. Danvers..." Lena raised her brows in shock, "...you are serious. Absolutely not. There has to be a way- a brain scan or something."

"Do you know some way to test it Luthor?" Alex sneered. 

Silence was Lena's response. 

"Yeah I didn't think so."

Lena steeled herself, "Then I have to take her back to LCorp."

"That is absolutely not going to happen."

"If there is a chance that she's still infected then she can't remain here!"

"You are only taking my sister over my dead body Luthor."

"If it didn't work and she is still under the influence of even a trace amount the red kryptonite then she will destroy you, me, the DEO and then the entire city just out of spite! You won't be able to contain her at the DEO."

Conveniently omitting the fact that she barely weaked her using high purity kryptonite earlier. She was hoping at the very least Alex's red kryptonite antidote would mitigate that problem. 

Alex couldn't argue with her, she knew it was a possibility. 

"You're afraid of her aren't you?" Brainiac 5 inquired. 

Lena clenched her jaw tightly and swallowed in response. She wouldn't admit to such a thing, but she wasn't such a fool to deny it either. 

"Look I know you have no reason to trust me after all the things I've done. But I still want to keep this city safe. Please. Let me try to undo what I've done. Give me at least 12 hours and I give you my word I'll set things right."

Alex's nose flared, her frustration blatantly apparent. Torn between her head and her heart. 

"She isn't going anywhere without me."

Why Lena's face paled, she wasn't herself quite sure. 

Maybe it was the way Alex was willing to jump into a lion's den with her sister. Or maybe it was the ferocity of the defense, a trait she shared with Supergirl. Or the fact that no one ever stood by Lena that way. Until redk Supergirl of course. And seeing now what Lena was getting rid of for herself, made this all the worse. 

"Done."

The urgency was not lost as Lena was already preparing to depart. Her power suit materialized out of nowhere encasing her in her black armour minus the helmet. 

"Alex are you sure about this?" 

"No Brainy. I'm not sure about this at all. But she's right we have to make sure and I can't let her go alone."

"Will I be able to generate a transmatter portal from inside the DEO?" 

"Yes. Thought it would probably be better to do so in the main hull," Brainy suggested. 

"Of course. Ms. Danvers please bring the energy weapon with you in case we need to use it again."

Treading her arms beneath Supergirl's knees and back, Lena lifted the girl of steel with ease. Alex grabbed the gun she dropped and Brainy escorted them out of the room.

"Whoa what is happening?" Winn exclaimed as he saw the trio. Dreamer as well took an offensive posture. 

"Lena and I are taking Supergirl to LCorp, where we can safely determine if she's free of the red kryptonite," Alex explained. 

"What! That's insane you can't hand Supergirl over to Lena Luthor!" Winn protested. 

"Like hell," Dreamer powered up to stop them. 

"Dreamer stand down!" 

Lena was a getting slightly envious of all these people protecting this god. 

"Listen, you saw what she did. This is the only way we can make sure Supergirl's not dangerous."

The tension lowered eventually with the presentation of the facts and Dreamer powered down, stepping aside reluctantly. 

They watched uneasily as Lena Luthor generated a purple portal and with their hero in her arms, took her through. 

"Hold down the fort. If we aren't back in 12 hours- storm the castle."

Her comrades nodded in understanding. Alex took a deep breath then followed into the portal.

On the other side Lena Luthor, had already handed over Supergirl's body to two Hope Robots who were now dragging her away. The portal closed behind Alex. 

"You lying bitch. What the hell do you think you're doing?!" 

Alex growled angrily as she took off readying to tackle Lena only to smack face first into a force field. Lena transported her right into a holding cell. 

"No!" 

About five metres away Lena turned around to a fuming Alex. Behind her robots were securing Supergirl's feet and shackling her wrists in kryptonite cuffs attached to chains that hung from the ceiling. 

"Let me out of here Luthor."

"12 hours Ms. Danvers," Lena casually deactivated her power suit. 

Angry and desperate fists pounded against the invisible barrier containing Supergirl's sister. Lena watched as their fervor tappered off as the knockout gas in the cell began taking effect. Alex Danvers was no fool, she knew what was happening to her. Fear gripped her soul. The excesses of her own imagination fueled the terror in her mind of what was to come. But it wasn't a fear for herself, it was for Supergirl. 

Lena walked up to the cell's force field as Alex dropped to her knees, clinging onto wakefulness like it were a life preserver. 

"Pl- please don't hurt her...anymore," was the woman's heartfelt plea. Alex's eyelids could no longer keep themselves open. Before she fell to the darkness, Lena received her final slur, "Kara... 'm sorry."

The confusion Lena felt with Suprgirl's behaviour clearly extended when regarding the adopted sister as well. Even after the inhumanity displayed by the kryptonian, all Alex could think of was to protect her. 

Their kinship was incomprehensible. They didn't even share blood. 

Lena could feel her muscles tighten angrily. Her own blood relatives just thought of her as a lab rat to torture and test. 

She clenched all of her muscles holding it for a few seconds before releasing with a deep exhale. Her past wasn't of any importance now. 

However Lena lamented not being able to befriend these women. Perhaps life may have turned out differently if they were apart of her life. 

Lena cocked her head as another thought pierced her contemplation.

She moved toward Supergirl, whose body was dangling from her wrists. 

The idea took form in her brain and a plan of action laid itself out. She was going to undo everything. 

At the computer Lena began a 12, hour countdown and summoned nine more of her robots to her lab. Leaving ten of them to ensure the sisters remained secure and one to assist her completing preparations for what she hoped to be her final scheme against Supergirl. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes friends yall know my fics gonna have a bunch of twisting and turning. 
> 
> What do you think Lena's up to now?


	11. Queen and Lionheart

The public were asking questions. Questions Supergirl would normally answer. Hope Robots were assisting the people in the aftermath of the attack. 

But if everything went according to Lena's plan none of it would matter soon. 

Two hours and twenty two minutes had elapsed since Supergirl was brought into LCorp. 

Alex Danvers was kept in her cell and was expected be out for about six hours. The anti red kryptonite weapon was secured in case it was needed again. 

Lena Luthor only took one hour to make her own preparations. When she was finished she made herself comfortable and waited. 

She sat crossed legged a good distance away from the chained Supergirl. Five Hope Robots between her and the alien, the other five behind. 

One would be tempted to say it was a test of patience when in fact it was a exercise in vigilance. 

She underestimated Supergirl before, she would not be caught off guard again. 

She watched with her index finger on the side of her face and her middle finger over her lips. Waiting. Watching Supergirl like a hawk, while she contemplated cosmic permutations. Questions she should have found the answers to a month ago were lined up now, ready to be used in interrogation. 

Her wait was over now.

Lena recognized the exact moment Supergirl started regaining consciousness. The slightest of involuntary twitches from the hanging body caused the chains holding her to tinkle. 

All ten Hope Robots in the room activated their kryptonite weapons and pointed it at Supergirl. Ready to blast her into submission if she was a threat. 

Supergirl was restrained the same way a month ago when she was first caught. 

Feet bound together, hands over her head in a 'Y' position and stretched upward far enough so that only the tips of her toes would have contact with the ground. With her arms spred apart she would have little leverage to use her strength. Her legs would tire from standing on her toes. Being hung from above as such would make it harder for her to breathe. 

Simple crucifixion would be arduous for anyone, even for a kryptonian bound with kryptonite. 

After five minutes of regaining consciousness Supergirl hadn't yet moved another muscle.

Maybe all of her energy was depleted. Or maybe she was thinking of the best way to retaliate. 

\---

Burning. Cramping. Tightness. 

The familiar sensations gnawed at her, trying to draw her out of the void. But she didn't want to go. She just wanted to stay here and hide in the black oblivion.

She grasped onto the darkness. It was safer if she remained here. She should never be let free. 

But the darkness was unmerciful and would not halt the memories from flooding in. 

She remembered so vividly. Every detail. 

What she did. What she felt. 

It kept replaying over and over. 

Seeing the monster's gray flesh slowly pull apart in her hands. The layers resisting, desperately trying to stay together as if they were the cheese on a slice of pizza, begging to remain whole.

The rush of invincibility that came with the savage ruthlessness. The power. The freedom from self imposed restrictions. There was no more holding back. There was nothing above her. Not this monster, not this planet of ants and not even Lena. Everything here existed because she allowed it. She was their sun they would revolve around. 

Having to keep reliving the moment was torture. But if her memories could keep her imprisoned in the abyss, then it was a torment she would willingly endure. 

At least everyone would be safe. 

Safe from her. 

\----

But then Lena saw it. As much as her slumped head and blonde fringe tried to hide it Lena saw it. 

Slowly a crinkle formed between her eyebrows which transformed into a deeper frown. Her facial muscles tensed as she squeezed her eye lids closed even tighter. Her breathing turned rapid. Lastly her hands balled into fists but she did not offer resistance to her bonds. 

Alex would be glad to know that her sister was at least free of the red kryptonite. 

Honestly Lena was surprised. She really did not anticipate the red kryptonite antidote would be effective. She wouldn't be caught trusting something she didn't build with her own hands. 

However there was another problem. Supergirl was pain. Terrible pain. Not from her body but in her mind. 

Supergirl was so absorbed in her own internal anguish, she didn't even hear the clicking of Lena's heels when she approached. She didn't even open her eyes when Lena stood before her.

Lena winced. She never thought anyone else could understand pain the way she did. It was very much like looking into a mirror. Or the past. She knew all the feelings intimately. 

"Open your eyes Supergirl."

But Lena's command was ignored. If anything her captive squeezed her eyes tighter in her attempt to close herself away. 

Maybe she should get the sister to handle this. 

Lena felt she was perhaps the most ill equipped person to deal with this situation. She was a person who had locked all their feelings away so she wouldn't have to deal with them. So she could function and move forward. 

Conversely Supergirl seemed intent on experiencing all the excruciating sensations her psyche dished out to her. Shutting her self off from the world so she could feel the depth of them. So they could destroy her from the inside out. 

No one was physically present for Lena in her own moment of suffering. Not counting Lillian's corpse of course. 

What would have comforted her then? Would words have even been able to penetrate the dark shroud that enveloped her? 

Lena's hand cupped Supergirl's face and her thumb stroked her cheek lightly. 

"I know what you're feeling. Like you're in a black pit of suffering. Spinning and sinking deeper in a whirlpool of self loathing."

Supergirl's breath hitched. It was the only indication that she was listening.

Lena herself felt moderately successful in curbing a naturally more taunting tone and going for a more contemplative quality as she continued her lulling caress. 

"I felt all the colours of darkness too. A symphony of pain and despair. Rage. Sadness. Grief. Shame."

Through Supergirl's closed eyes tears seeped through to the outside world and streamed down her face. Lena swiped away the drop came towards her thumb. 

"All that you've done suddenly throwing you into this existential crisis. Questioning who you are. In destroying a monster did I become a monster myself?"

She felt Supergirl's body tremble. 

While Lena answered this question for herself years ago, in the moment she found herself reevaluating her answer. At the time she killed Lillian and Lex to prevent them from causing anyone else pain. 

But was that still what she was doing? 

Few people knew the misery of being forced to exist contrary to your own nature. Supergirl was in this monumental pain because of her. She infected Supergirl with red kryptonite. How was she any different from Lillian? Lena simply used a different colour kryptonite. 

Maybe this was her plan in their first encounter- to make Supergirl feel the pain that she felt. But if this was its fulfillment, then it was as sickening as any other depraved Luthor plot.

She wasn't like them. 

Lena grasped Supergirl's face with both hands now and held it up. 

"Please look at me," Lena pleaded. 

Fearful, haunted blue eyes cracked open, releasing move rivers of tears. They searched for merciless judgment in her determined greens. 

"That monster would have destroyed this entire planet if it wasn't stopped."

Supergirl's breath hitched and she attempted to wrench her head away from Lena's hold. She was trying to reject what Lena was saying but Lena would not accept being denied. Lena firmed up the hold on her head, not allowing Supergirl to turn away, so her body writhed underneath. 

"Only you had the power to stop it. You had to. And you saved _everyone_ in the process." 

More tears flowed out of her sad blue eyes. 

"That _does not_ make you a monster."

Unable to turn away in her shame Supergirl shut her eyes once more with a whimper. 

Lena was persistent, her message would be heard. 

She wrapped her arms around the girl of steel and held onto her body tightly. Lena could feel the shuddering woman try to pull out of the grasp but with the restraints there was nowhere to go. With their bodies flush against each other Lena felt each time Supergirl's chest clenched and breath hitched. 

"You're not a monster Kara," Lena affirmed in her ear. 

A pained, strangled groan tore out of Kara's throat. 

Then she tilted her head back and all her emotions exploded in a loud, raw, agonized wail. 

Like the roar of an injured lion releasing it's pain into the ether. 

Lena's jaw clenched. Kara's woe was transcendental. Lena felt the heart-breaking suffering as if she were reliving her own, her own tears falling freely now too. 

Lena held on enduringly, entangling herself with Kara, as the quivering form sobbed uncontrollably. She could feel the crook of her neck wet with shed tears where Kara's face was buried. Lena continued lazily stroking the muscular back, making sure Kara knew there was someone here with her in her grief. 

"You're not a monster Kara," Lena reaffirmed over and over. 

Kara wept, leaning further into Lena's arms and Lena allowed it to happen. As time drew on, Lena didn't even mind the fact that she was the one holding up the limp form. She couldn't recall ever really having this kind of intimacy with someone else. For the first time in a long time, Lena felt almost human. 

Predicament evolved in her mind.

Part of her selfishly wanted to keep Kara for herself. The desire began eroding the resolve she had mustered to destroy the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say farewell to Redk Supergirl. Hope you enjoyed her.


	12. Breaking the 4th wall

How much time had passed she couldn't say. All she knew she felt as numb as her arms at this point. It wasn't so much numbness as it was emptiness. Drained. There weren't anymore tears left in her. 

Being chained forever was something she deserved. Who better to hold her than Lena? Lena would make sure she'd never escape. Certainly she could accept this fate. 

Kara sighed deeply. She didn't even deserve this comfort she was getting from Lena. Not after all she'd done to manipulate her. But it felt so good. 

Kara moved her head to rest her chin on Lena's shoulder and opened her eyes. Hope Robots were rightfully standing guard. She squinted trying to see what was beyond them. Then gasped. 

When extreme emotions hit there tends to be a narrowing of perception that naturally follows. 

In her own despair she hadn't even noticed that Alex's body was in a holding cell at the far end of the room. Kara couldn't tell if she was alive or dead. 

In the final moments of her weight being supported, she forced her dead fingers to grasp onto the chains and found the floor with her tip toes. 

"What have you done with Alex?" 

Lena released her and stepped back.

Forced to deal with the entire weight of her body all the pressure came back to her in full. Kara immediately found it harder to breathe. 

Lena gave her a moment to readjust. 

"Your sister's asleep. She should be for at least three more hours."

"Let her go y-you already have me. She has nothing to do with us," Kara managed to get out between her struggling breath. 

"She said she goes where you go. Time was of the essence and it was far easier to oblige than argue."

Kara closed her eyes and huffed in disappointment. Alex didn't deserve to be trapped here too. 

"But it isn't going to matter soon where she is. Not when I'm going to destroy the world."

Kara was concentrating on breathing that there was a cartoonish delay in her reaction. Wide eyed and in a panic, "You what!" 

"I'll get to that in a moment. But first..."

Lena smirked and stepped up to her computers as Kara began struggling to escape. 

This can't be happening. Lena wouldn't do this. Any version of Lena wouldn't do this. 

"...I created a device to siphon energy from the fifth dimension to power my Hope Robots. Much like the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect, it allows fifth dimensional energy in and then traps it here." 

Which is why Myx couldn't snap us back when he first tried. It felt like such a long time ago. 

"Since you were abandoned here, there has been a bombardment of sorts on my device. It has registered 4739 energy spikes over the last month. I assume that the imp has been attempting to retrieve you."

Kara's eyes lit up with hope. Myx was trying to rescue her at least.

"The device is self regulating. It usually operates at 67% capacity. But for the entire month it increased to 71%. Now I know that imps are notorious eavesdropers. So to whoever's listening we are about to...sign off."

With a few key strokes she manually increased the device's capacity to 100%.

\---

"Oh no. Nonononono."

Myxzpltk rushed toward the tv set and began smacking the box repeatedly trying to get back the image. His futile attempts ended with a whimper and a black screen. 

\---

Almost immediately, her device was bombarded, registering a rapid succession of spikes in energy. Lena smirked, someone across the dimensional barrier was desperate. 

"Privacy at last."

Kara's despair deepened. She was stuck here. But isn't that what she wanted? To have Lena be her warden. To be locked away for good. 

She wasn't allowed to wrestle with all her feelings as Lena approached her once again. 

"Now you and I are going to have a chat we should have had when you first had you. There are things I neglected to learn that would have helped avoid all of this...unpleasantness. So, you can either be interrogated while you struggle to breathe or we can sit and have civil conversation over a glass of wine."

Kara looked at her in confusion. She hadn't noticed the bottle of red wine next to chair in the room either. 

"You want to talk?" 

Lena smiled, "Yes. Is that really so incredulous?" 

"What about Alex?" 

"What about her?" 

"Please let her go," Kara begged breathlessly. 

"Not to worry, soon everything will go."

"You don't have to do that. You don't have to destroy the world. "

Lena closed her eyes in irritation then squared her shoulders, "Very well then, if you'd rather suffocate there then we can proceed..."

"What? No! Please let me down...we'll talk."

Lena glared at Kara, delaying for an extra few moments. Making her wait. Ensuring she knew exactly who was in control here now. 

Kara's wrist cuffs were unceremoniously detached from their supporting chains. With her feet still bound, they could not hold her body and her dead weight arms that all went crashing to the floor. But there was an instant relief of pressure in her chest and air entered her lungs easier. 

Lena allowed her to catch her breath as she took her seat and poured herself a glass of wine. She easied back into her chair crossing her legs. 

After several deep inhales, using her numb arms she maneuvered herself up onto her knees, she wouldn't be able to stand with her feet bound. 

Lena smirked at her.

The cuffs on Kara's wrists suddenly pulled together, connecting with each other the way her ankles were. With the kryptonite within them, there was no strength in her to overcome the magnetic force that held them together. Kara had simply traded one form of helpless for another. 

She was Lena's plaything now. 

Two Hope Robots came from behind her, lifting her under her arms and dragged her closer to Lena. 

This is how it should have been Lena mused. She stretched out her leg planting the bottom of her shoe on Supergirl's face. The kneeling alien closed her eyes and shuddered as she tried to deal with the humiliation of it all. Lena bit her lower lip. She lowered her foot and settled it onto Supergirl's crest, pushing and stamping repeatedly into it. The girl of steel clenched her jaw before she opened her eyes, accepting whatever Lena had. 

This was how she imagined it would have been. But the miscalculation was hers. Even if she could twist it into this now, both she and Supergirl would both remember what happened. That it was Lena on the receiving end of being controlled by getting everything she wanted. Supergirl had her eating all the turkish delights from her hand. That she had won before Lena even understood what was happening. 

It didn't matter any more. 

Lena crossed her leg once more and took a sip of her wine. 

"If I am correct Kara, you are from another reality?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Explain."

Kara swallowed. Why did Lena want to know about this now? Was she planning on going there somehow and destroying her world? 

"I'm from the real world. This is just a possible variation on it if I had made a different choice. Possibility space."

Lena was making the connections as they went. 

"The imp did this. Why? Fifth dimensional being aren't known for their altruism."

"He wronged me previously and to make up for it he offered me a do over for a mistake I made."

"Where you lied to me- was it?" 

"Yes," Kara lowered her head, the shame of it still raw. 

"In this real world where I am not...like this. Where Lillian didn't experiment on me?"

"No she didn't. I flew in front of the missile that was intended for your helicopter."

"You saved me there?"

"Yes."

"Then why would you possibly want to be here?"

Kara sighed heavily again, "I wanted to undo the pain I had caused by not telling you my identity. But every time I told you the truth, things always ended up worse. So I wanted to see what it would be like if we never friends."

Lena set her glass down and leaned forward with a deep scowl. Angry green eyes bore into the meek blues beneath her. 

"I wouldn't have had to lie if we never met. I thought...you would be better off without me."

Lena took an extra moment to ensure she correctly made the connections in her mind. Her understanding heralded a loss of control, her chest felt like it were a volcano ready to erupt. 

Her arm shot out, constricting Kara's throat in her vice like grip. The alien's bound hands came up to relieve the pressure but there was no give for her to find. Lena angrily crushed her windpipe and cut off the circulation to her brain. 

"You're saying that I had to endure insurmountable pain because the real me couldn't bare the thought that someone lied to her!" 

" 'm sor- sorry Lee- na," Kara forcibly gurgled out of her throat. 

Her fingers lost their vigor. Kara's face was full of strain as the light in the blue eyes began to contract inwards but she didn't once look away from Lena's eyes as they faded. A final tear escaped and ran down Kara's face. Her hands dropped down in front of her. Darkness began settling over her final vision of Lena.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lena is upset


	13. Destroying the world for the greater good

Kara was blinded by the light that flooded back into her eyes. Her brain felt like it was about to explode as blood rushed back to her head. She coughed and rasped in oxygen as she doubled over onto the floor, released from Lena's grasp. 

A furious Lena turned away from the prone alien, trying to regain her composure. All this pain endured because her counterpart couldn't stand one lie. How could that be comparable to what she'd suffered at the hand of the Luthors? Lena wasn't any saint. She lived in lies and deception. Pathetic. How many lies would she have told Supergirl?

Lena quieted her own mind and turned back to the breathless Kara ready to continue her conversation. A Hope Robot grabbed Kara shoulders and hoisted her back onto her knees. 

"So tell me...Kara...before this dimensional intervention...what exactly happened between you and Lena?"

"Lena, she - I apologized to her, but she was so hurt and angry. She wanted to keep, people from getting hurt, like she did," Kara inhaled deeply. "She tried to, mind control the world to get rid of humans' instincts to hurt each other. I had to stop her. That just made her more angry."

Kara huffed, exhausted at her story. Defeated by it. 

"Go on," Lena urged, not being impressed by what her counterpart had done to warrant Supergirl to take such a drastic action. 

Kara grit her teeth reluctant to continue.

"There was a crisis the universe was destroyed by an antimatter wave...and then when we restored it Lex - he changed things. Everyone in the world thinks he's a hero now. Then he convinced Lena to partner with him."

Lena's head twitched at this revelation. 

"She doesn't trust me and won't listen to me and I know he's just using her to do something horrible- I know it. And there's no way for me to protect her from him," Kara's voice desperate as if it was she was trying to convince her. 

In an unusual calm tone Lena interrupted, "You are telling me...that I... agreed to work with Lex?"

Kara nodded, her head dropping hopelessly. 

Moving slowly and deliberately Lena moved towards three of her robots standing behind her. She inspected them for a moment before she exploded. Ripping open her jacket she exposed the kryptonite burning in her chest and screamed as she obliterated her own robots one by one with successive green blasts. 

Kara would be more afraid if she didn't feel like acid was burning through her veins. Her hands braced herself on the floor as the green flushed across her skin. She wanted to throw up. A Hope Robot grasped her hair and wrenched her upright, pulling her head back to watch and enraged Lena storming toward her. 

"You are telling me that I am such a fool that I would work with that snake!?" Lena yelled. 

"He's your brother," Kara added. 

Lena roughly grabbed her jaw, "Who would kill me on a whim! How could I ever trust that monster?!" 

Lena let Kara go with a snarl before she walked up to a workbench and cleared away the equipment in one swipe of her arms. Anything that hadn't made it to the floor she began throwing against the walls of the lab.

Kara closed her eyes. Why did Lena always have to be in so much pain? Why couldn't she stop it? 

Lena was furious at herself. The thought of working with Lex made her sick. How could she be so gullible? Her body shook with rage. 

Still fuming she rebuttoned her jacket, wrestling her emotions back in their boxes. 

Kara's hair was released and she knelt on her own. 

"I'm sorry," Kara whispered as she wept quietly. 

"For what exactly?" 

"For the pain I caused you."

Lena huffed as she regained fragile composure "I'll accept your apology but I'm certain the real Lena never will. I can't believe there is a version of me exists that's such a sniveling fool." 

"Lena's not a fool. She's hurt."

"And what does she know of pain?!" Lena seethed her fist slamming into her workbench, denting the metal countertop. 

Tears fell freely out of Kara's eyes, "I just wish I knew how to fix this."

"Unfortunately you can't. Especially not after she willingly sided with Lex. He will manipulate her, twist her into giving him what he wants and then spit her out when she is no longer useful to him."

"There has to be a way. There has to be something I can do."

"There is. Free yourself from the false perception you cling to. Lena isn't on your side anymore, she's Lex's tool now."

"No she is good. She is nothing like him." 

Truly, the lengths that Kara was willing to go had her in awe. Lena never thought she'd know someone willing to fight for her the way Kara was doing. Even under red kryptonite, this was something that remained the same. She was willing to alter reality itself if it meant Lena wouldn't be in pain. Of course she was Supergirl. Only someone with superpowers would be able to take on such a herculean task. If only it weren't a Sisyphus like endeavour. 

Lena was acutely aware there was no way to help Kara save her friend. Perhaps however she could explain how it would play out. 

"When I infected you with red kryptonite you gave me everything Supergirl despite knowing that I wouldn't trust you. Why?" 

The kneeling woman sighed as she contemplated her answer. 

"Because you deserve everything."

Lena smirked, her flattery prevailed even in the most dire of circumstances. 

"The only way to get through to you would be to give you everything and see if that made you happy. That maybe you'd depend on me if I could give you the world. But I realized you still weren't going to trust me, regardless of what I did. Like you said, Luthor's are masters of theirs own fates."

Lena smiled knowingly, "As is the case with all Luthors."

"What are you saying?" 

"Stop your apologizing, your puppy pout won't get you anywhere. Lena will decide on her own if she wants to be a monster like Lex or not. Rest assured, when everyone's cards are on the table, she finally make her decision."

Kara's eyes widened in understanding. She has been so desperate to get Lena back onto her side when the truth was Lena had to make her own choice. She had to decide who she wanted to be. All this time Kara was trying to pull Lena back to her and that just made Lena pull away. Lena had to want to come back. And if Lena wanted to work with Lex...she would have to stop her. 

Lena lowered herself onto the chair once more, watching comprehension and conflict take place in the kneeling girl of steel. Kara was coming to terms with the way forward.

The chair dragged closer to Kara until she was kneeling between Lena's legs, her shoulders squashed between Lena's knees. Kara's mind blanked, not knowing what was to come now. Her breathing quickened as she peered up at Lena above her. 

"I've only known you for a month Kara. But in that time you've given to me so much." Lena began stroking the face of a nervous Kara. "I can't even begin to imagine how happy you made her." 

Kara frowned sadly. 

"Luthors usually have minions, drones to obey their will," Lena glanced around the room to her lifeless robots. "If you were meaningless she wouldn't be so angry. Deep inside she still cares about you Kara." 

Lena positioned Kara's face properly with her both hand and leaned in. Closing her eyes as her lips made soft contact with the ones below her. She could hear Kara's breath hitch nervously before slowly kissing back. She wasn't hungry like when she was under the influence of red kryptonite. 

Lena could feel Kara trying to pour all the care she had for her in this one gesture. Like Kara didn't want anything in return, just for Lena to know that she was loved. 

Without breaking contact, Lena kicked her chair back and was on her own knees. Kara's bound hands found a place to steady herself holding onto Lena's elbow as the smaller woman pulled Kara's face down. Lena wanted to drown in this feeling. She needed it to fill her before she had to let go. 

Kara continued her soft, steady pace until Lena broke off. 

Lena rested her forhead on Kara's as she licked her lips, making sure she got all the taste of Kara in her mouth. With a sated sigh she opened her eyes to the warm, sky blue beaming back at her. 

Lena's lips trembled, "Kara, please promise that you will be there for me when I'm ready to come back to you."

Lena felt a tug at her elbow, fingers urging her arm lower, until her hand was nestled in two warm hands that squeezed tightly. 

"I will always be there for you Lena. I promise."

And Lena believed it. She smiled, nodding at the reassurance as a single tear escaped from her wet green eyes. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Lena rose to her feet, reluctantly extracting from Kara. 

Blinking away her tears Lena typed away her final command at her computer. She looked down at Kara one last time. 

"Time to end the world."

"What?" 

With a single tap on her keyboard, her energy siphoning device powered down.

"Goodbye Kara."

\---

"Let go J'onn!" 

Alex fist was being held back by J'onn as she held Myxzpltk in place ready to punch. 

"Alex that won't help Kara!" J'onn cautioned. 

"Then tell me what else will?!" Alex shook the imp. 

"I told you this never happened-" Myx snapped his fingers out of habbit and desperation. 

"No! Lena..." the last syllable tapering off to silence. Suddenly Kara stood before them. 

"-before," Myx ended half in shock and relief.

Kara stood motionless. Dazed. Staring at them but not really seeing them. 

"Kara..." Alex released Myxzpltk and rushed to her sister. Crushing her in a hug as best as her human strength would allow. 

"...I got you Kara. "

"Alex?" 

Absently Kara's arms found the familiar path around her sister. 

"I'm right here," Alex kept repeating until Kara grounded herself back into her skin. 

"I'm here too."

"What?"

"Alex there's something I have to do."  
  
\---

"Then why are you here?" Lena questioned crisply. 

"To tell you from now on you're accountable for your own actions. If you decide to forgive me I will be there for you. If you continue to work with Lex, if you go through with whatever you two are planning, I will do everything in my power to stop you. Just like I would any other villain."

Kara flew off not allowing Lena any final word. Her heart was racing, she could hear Lena's was too. 

But there it was, she had put her cards on the table, as much as it hurt her to issue such an ultimatum. 

But she wasn't the Paragon of Hope for no reason. If Metallo Lena could find her way back to do the right thing, then she knew the same resolve resided within Lena too. She just had to have faith. And Kara would be waiting for her when Lena returned home to her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End.
> 
> Thanks for reading once more. 
> 
> This was quite a writing experiment for me and departure from the way I would normally write, this having longer chapters instead of shorter ones. 
> 
> Also I wrote the whole thing on my phone which surprisingly made the words flow easier but was a bit of an editing challenge. (if you have writing app recommendations I'd love to try it out).
> 
> Not sure if this is a success. 
> 
> Maybe I will experiment some more between the long break between seasons. 
> 
> Do drop a comment and let me know.


End file.
